


Rough Around the Edges

by jollygreengiant



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26507575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jollygreengiant/pseuds/jollygreengiant
Summary: Figure skaters and hockey players are basically sworn enemies. Right? Right..
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Comments: 77
Kudos: 409





	1. The Best Days

Summer was finally coming to an end. Everyone around her seemed to complain about the steady drop in temperature, but Dina loved it. Summer wasn’t the worst thing in the world. The time away from school and trips to the beach were great, but nothing could ever compare to autumn in Jackson. The mornings were cool and crisp, the drink selections instantly improved, but more importantly the changing of the seasons meant the rink would finally be open.

Dina peeked inside her duffel bag to inspect the state of its contents. Once she confirmed her skates hadn’t gone anywhere since the last time she skated, she flung it over her shoulder and hurried downstairs where her mother and sister were preparing dinner. Dashing past them and heading straight for the front door.

“Slow down child! Why are you in such a rush?” her mother called after her.

Dina grabbed her coat off of the hook and triumphantly smiled back at the two women. “Rink is open! First session starts at five tonight. First night as a full-time coach!” Her sister, Talia, gave an excited whoop from the kitchen, and as she reached for the door handle she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned she was met by her mother’s smiling eyes.

“I know I won’t be able to convince you to stay for supper, so please take these.” Dina graciously took the granola bars from her mother’s outstretched hand. “We are so proud of you darling. You will be such a wonderful teacher.” She returned her mother’s smile and shrugged on her jacket.

With that, she was out the door and heading toward the rink.

\----

Dina had been skating since she was three. Her parents had decided they would put her in every activity and let her decide what she liked best. They never made it that far. Dina was hooked the moment she stepped on the ice. Through fourteen years of skating her passion for the sport never wavered. Sessions that were once filled with unease and perfectionism now brought her comfort. The rink had slowly become a second home.

This year she had been asked to shift into a leadership role. Finishing the last of her gold tests meant she was an excellent candidate to coach, now taking on the task of coaching learn to skate, basic skills, and freestyle sessions. ‘ _Leading the next generation of figure skaters’_ is how Alana, the club’s senior coach, had put it. Even though the change from student to coach was sure to be different, there was one thing that would never change.

_Rink days are the best days._

\----

As she pulled up to the rink she couldn’t ignore the sensation of butterflies and anticipation that always came with the first night of skating. Dina grabbed her duffel and confidently strode toward the entrance. The building was a bit older, white paneling on the outside and “Tri-County Ice Arena” painted in a dark maroon above the white metal doors. The ever-present hum of the refrigeration system filling the quiet of the neighborhood.

When she yanked the door open she was immediately engulfed in the warm, yet cold breeze from the inside of the building. She stepped in and surveyed the familiar landscape. The walkway from the door was part of a general walkway that circled around the top, enclosed by a metal railing. Looking down across bleachers that slowly angled downward and stopped at the boards. The plexiglass is clean, and the fluorescent lights give off a dull buzz as she skips down the stairs to the locker rooms below. 

Dina was appreciative that the clean rubber smell of the locker rooms hadn’t yet been soiled by the stench of unwashed hockey gear. Giving a quick thanks to the universe she plopped down on the bench and laced up her skates, patiently waiting for 5 o’clock to come.

\----

Dina made her way around the surface of the ice, picking up cones and water bottles that had been abandoned on the top of the boards. She deeply exhaled, intently focused on the cloud of breath as it left her lips. Tonight’s sessions went pretty well. The kids had (mostly) listened, and her skaters’ off season drop off was not as bad as she had anticipated. Dina slowly moved toward the rink-side door, taking a few moments to sink into her edges. A rocker here, a slow twizzle there. A few moments to truly feel herself connect with the ice beneath her feet.

Blue and red guards snapped as she slid them over her blades. While she was exhausted, she couldn’t help but smile while she walked back to her belongings.

_Rink days are the best--what the FUCK?_

Upon entering, Dina noticed a large black and yellow hockey bag sitting in the corner of HER locker room. _There’s fucking hockey tonight? Disgusting._ She let out a small scoff and made her way over to the bench. While unlacing her skates, a tall figure with dark auburn hair emerged from the bathroom, wearing skates and the bottom half of her hockey equipment. Her top half sported a tight, red, short sleeved under armor compression shirt. When the tall hockey player sat and reached into her bag to grab her shoulder pads, the shirt shifted. Revealing strong, toned arms and prominent shoulders. _Hmm. Red is a nice color.. Wait what._

“Uh, hello?” The stranger chuckled, waving a hand around in an attempt to get Dina’s attention “You’re staring.”

Dina felt her face flush and she cautiously looked up, locking onto soft, deep green eyes that seemed to unknowingly stare directly into her soul.

“Oh.. um.. Sorry..” Dina stumbled over her words, breaking eye contact as fast as humanly possible. Even though she had dropped her head, Dina could still feel the girl’s intense eyes on her. She quickly began to pull off her skates hoping to avoid any other interaction with the girl.

“You’re good” the girl with forests in her eyes let out a breathy laugh, bringing her attention back to the equipment she still had to put on “My name is Ellie, by the way.” When Dina didn’t respond she added “What, never seen a hockey player before?”

Dina stopped wiping down her blades and slowly brought her eyes back up to the corner, fire biting at the tip of her tongue. “Oh no, I’ve seen hockey players before. I just don’t really like seeing them in my locker room.” 

“Ohhh I’m sorry, I thought the sign on the door said ‘girl’s locker room’ I didn’t realize they changed it to ‘twirl girls only’” the same fire was present in Ellie’s tone, with just a touch of sarcasm.

Dina clenched her jaw and resumed the drying of her blades. “We do not twirl. And my sessions just ended so the locker room is technically still mine.”

Ellie chuckled again, eyes and hands focused on adjusting her elbow pads. “Looks like twirling to me.” She paused, a half smirk appearing on her face “I have practice at 8:30, so I think you might have to get used to sharing.”

Dina let the words linger. Deciding to not give the hockey heathen the satisfaction of a reply. She slid her skates, guards, and gloves back into her bag in silence. When she rose to leave their eyes met again. 

“Just.. Don’t stink up my locker room. Okay?” 

Ellie lifted one of her arms and gave it an exaggerated sniff “Lucky for you, toe picker, I showered today AND I wash my jerseys”

A deep, tired sigh escaped Dina’s lips “Can you quit it with the shitty name calling?”

The hockey player slowly stood up and took her hair out of its ponytail, shaking it out and pushing it back as she eased her helmet on. Leaving a bit of the ends hanging out the back. 

“Look out everyone, the ice princess has claws” She joked to the empty locker room.

Dina rolled her eyes and let out another deep sigh, turning to leave. She only stopped when the other girl grabbed her gloves and stick and sauntered toward the door, stopping next to Dina. She looked down at brown eyes and spoke in a low, husky tone, “You know, I wouldn’t have to call you names if you would tell me your actual name.”

_Fuck._

Gathering up all of the defiance she could muster she replied, “Dina. My name is Dina.” Try as she might, it came out as hardly more than a whisper.

Ellie pulled her gloves on and began to open the door “Well, Dina, I guess I’ll be seeing you around.” When she left, Dina stood motionless. Eyes still glued to the door leading to the rink. Willing herself to breathe.

_What the actual fuck._

She shook her head and quickly left the rink. Pausing only to lightly gasp as she hit the fresh air. When she got to her car Dina slammed the door and aggressively flipped down the visor. She looked into the mirror, trying to place what was going on within her own mind. 

_Angry? Yes. Slightly intrigued? ... Fuck off._

With a huff she flipped the visor up, starting the Subaru and proceeding to back out of the spot.

_Goddamn hockey players._


	2. You're a Caveman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow.. Thank you all for your kind words. They mean the world to me. I'm currently waiting for the results of my covid test so I have some time off of work to write. I will do my best to have enough written so I can get chapters out in a timely fashion when I do go back to work. Thanks again!

Senior year was supposed to be the easiest. A year of filler classes and goofing off with her friends. In the interest of college applications and scholarships, Dina had decided to break that expectation by taking three AP courses. Probably a dumb idea, but skating three nights a week and spending time with her friends usually provided enough of a distraction to get her through the mundane, work-filled school days. Looking forward to tonight’s sessions and the emotional release that would come with being on the ice would typically be enough itself in most cases. However, when the end of the day was nearing and she needed a mental break from her AP calculus homework, she found her mind drifting not to the comfort of the sound of deep edges cutting into the surface of the ice, but to lean muscles and a crooked, goofy smile instead. She slammed her head down on her hand that was resting on the lunch table and groaned.

_Goddamnit. Go away. Get out of my head._

The final bell sounded, signaling the end of the school day. Dina was silently thankful for the interruption of her mind’s wandering thoughts, but as she walked across the parking lot to her car one intrusive thought made its way to the forefront of her mind.

_What if she’s there again tonight?_

“Jesus girl get a hold of yourself” she muttered as she shut the door behind her and started up the vehicle. Dina was not about to let this cocky hockey player ruin the best nights of the week.

\----

Another successful night of skating was under her belt. Kylie had been consistently landing her axel all night and her lesson on spin variations had gone smoothly. She once again picked up her cones and cleared the boards of gloves and hats. As she grabbed the last of the forgotten items she heard someone pounding on the glass near the rink-side door. Dina quickly looked up to locate the source of the obnoxious sound. Figuring she would have to yell at some kids who hadn’t gone home yet. Much to her surprise there were no children standing along the boards, instead Ellie stood there, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Hey! Dina! Do a trick!”

Dina subtly rolled her eyes and pushed toward the door. “We don’t do ‘tricks’.”

“Okay.. So you don’t twirl and you don’t do tricks.. What do you even do then?”

She reached the boards and narrowed her eyes. It was her best attempt at appearing tough, but the small smile that had involuntarily graced her face said differently. “We jump and we spin. No tricks here.”

“Jumps, spins, tricks.. Same difference.” Dina gave her a warning glance and she held up her hands in surrender “Okay, sorry, NOT the same thing. Will you do something cool for me?” 

“Look, I just skated for three hours. I’m tired, so no. I will be going home.”

Ellie stuck out her lower lip and pouted “What if I ask realllly nicely? Just one thing.”

Dina grabbed her guards, snapping them on her blades as she stepped off the ice. “That depends. Are you going to ruin the ice again tonight?”

Ellie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise “Me? I ruin the ice?! You know, that’s a little funny coming from someone whose favorite pastime seems to be putting as many holes in the ice as she can.” 

“We do not do that. We use our toe picks for certain jumps and for landing. We don’t go around jamming them into the ice for fun.” Dina shot back.

“Could’ve fooled me” Ellie muttered under her breath.

Dina scoffed and began to head back to the locker room. The girl half dressed in equipment turned to follow, falling in next to her.

_Please stop talking. I’m begging._

“So, what does gold medalist mean? Did you win a contest?”

She looked down at her gold medalist jacket and laughed. _Wishful thinking._ “No, US Figure Skating has different sets of tests. When you pass all of the tests in that set you’re considered a gold medalist. I have three.” She pointed to the gold colored labels embroidered on her sleeve. “I’ve finished moves in the field, ice dance, and freestyle. I might try to test my senior free dance. We’ll see how motivated I am.” 

Ellie opened the door to the locker room, gesturing for Dina to enter before her. “I have no idea what any of those are but it sounds cool.”

Dina shrugged “I guess. Took a lot of time and way too much money. It’s nice to be able to say I’m a gold medalist though.”

“Which one is your favorite?”

_Why is she so interested..?_

“I’m not really sure. There were tests within each set that felt like pulling teeth. But if I had to pick I’d probably say ice dancing.”

“Sounds.. neat.. Do you have to wear a tutu for those?”

Dina couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “No, but we do wear dresses.” She paused then added “I guess I liked dancing with a partner. That way if you screw up it’s still your fault, but not completely your fault. The American Waltz can suck my dick though. That dance was not neat. That dance was a pain in my ass. Whoever made it clearly enjoys watching people suffer.”

Ellie smirked and hummed in response. Clearly focused on pulling her jersey over the bulky shoulder pads. 

When her skates had been properly wiped down and safely tucked away within her duffel bag Dina loudly exhaled through her nose and slapped her hands down on her thighs.

_She seemed interested in my skating. I guess it’s only polite to ask her about herself._

“So, where’s the rest of your team? It can’t be just you.”

Ellie continued to struggle with the jersey. “I play on the guy’s team. There’s another girl, Abby, but she broke her leg during a summer league game so for now it’s just yours truly.” 

Dina grimaced at the thought of a broken leg and walked over by the struggling girl, pulling at the back of her jersey that had gotten stuck on a flap of her chest guard. “Why? Jackson High definitely has a girl’s team.” 

“I don’t go to Jackson High” she nodded at the black and gold varsity jacket hanging on the hook beside her “I go to Wilson. They don’t have a girl’s team so I get to play with the guys. I kinda like it. The checking is fun.”

“Sounds dangerous.” Dina replied as she walked back toward her bag.

“Nah. You just have to play smart. Don’t skate with your head down like a dumb ass and you’ll be fine.”

“You literally just told me a girl broke her leg while playing. Seems pretty dangerous to me.”

“Okay that was just a freak accident. She got cross checked in the back and wrapped her leg around the goal post. That was the result of some other guy being an asshole and doesn’t mean it’s always dangerous.”

“Hmm. Yeah I’m still not convinced.”

Ellie shoved her hands into her gloves and began to leave the room, Dina following close behind her. She paused at the door and turned slightly. “Have a good night Dina. It was.. It was really nice seeing you again.”

Dina felt a light blush sweep across her face. “You too caveman. Try not to die.”

Ellie put a gloved hand to her chest, feigning offense. “I thought we were done with the name calling? You wound me. I thought we were friends.” Shooting Dina a toothy grin.

She allowed herself to flash a small smile at the taller girl and lightly shoved her. “Go! You’re going to be late.”

_Friends? Maybe this hockey player isn’t so bad._

\----

Dina slowly walked up the stairs and stopped by the railing at the top. A change in speed compared to her swift exit from the rink a few days earlier. She leaned against a support pillar, doing her best to conceal herself from any other onlookers. Suddenly she had nowhere to be. No homework to do. No deadlines to meet. She draped her arms over the railing as she watched the hockey players below make their way around the ice. Pausing in their strides to do what she assumed to be some type of warm-up. It was easy to spot Ellie. The auburn hair poking out of the back of her helmet was a good identifier. As they shifted from warm-ups into a shooting drill, Dina was mesmerized by the way she moved on the ice. Completely different than the way figure skaters moved on the ice, but still fluid with a distinct kind of grace. After some time Dina pushed off of the railing and glanced up at the clock. 

_Oh god. It’s already 9:15? Have I been sitting here for that long? Shit._

She tapped on the railing and quietly left the ice arena.

\----

The front door made an unpleasant low creak as Dina entered her home. Despite her attempt to come in quietly, she was failing miserably. How dare the house not understand that she was coming home late on a school night. She winced when the door clicked shut. Turning to hang up her coat and slip off her shoes, she stealthily moved from the entranceway toward the stairs. Just as she was about to ascend the steps her attention was caught by someone clearing their throat. With wide eyes she snapped up and made eye contact with Talia. Her sister was sitting at the kitchen table working on her laptop and drinking out of a mug most likely filled with tea. Talia looked at Dina quizzically through thick framed glasses.

“Late night?”

“Um.. yeah. Yeah late night.” Dina stuttered, struggling to form a sentence.

“Parents giving you grief?” Talia took a sip from her mug, not breaking eye contact.

“No.. I was talking to a.. friend.” 

Talia raised her eyebrows. “Oh. A special friend?”

_Not this again._

“No! She’s a hockey player. Barely a friend.”

“Hmm.. Is she cute?” A mischievous look present in her eyes.

“TALIA!” Dina hissed. “I am allowed to have friends that I don’t want to date.”

“I never said you couldn’t.” She lowered her eyes “But you didn’t answer my question.”

Dina groaned and made her way up the stairs.

_I can be friends with whomever I choose. Even if they’re insufferable hockey players._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Fifth-Wheeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To spare this story some angst, Dina and Jesse are not and will not be an item in this universe.

“This is absolute bullshit. I hate it here.” Dina complained as she threw her lunch box down in front of her.

A solid thud rang through the crowded cafeteria as calculus and physics textbooks were slammed down on the table. Dina followed suit, plopping down onto the bench and promptly resting her forehead on the surface of the lunch table, letting out an exaggerated groan. 

She was joined by her two best friends Jesse and Justin. Jesse, who sat across from her, was tall with jet black hair that was slicked back neatly. He wore a maroon polo shirt and khaki pants that fit perfectly. Never failing to exude a quiet, cool confidence. He always seemed to be overdressed for the occasion. When Dina had questioned his choices in fashion he sheepishly smiled and simply replied ‘ _You have to dress for success Dina!’_ Whatever that meant. His appearance made him look a little conceited, but Jesse was a kind and considerate man who deeply cared for his friends. Justin, who sat to her right, had shaggy sandy brown hair, a soft voice, and a bright smile. He was always suggesting quiet weekend camping trips in the mountains. Claiming he wanted to be _‘one with the ecosystem’_. Today he sported one of his usual shirts with a tree related pun on it. This one was forest green and had the words ‘prevent heart rot, date a forester’ written across his chest. Justin was fiercely loyal, and wasn’t afraid to give his friends a little tough love when needed. The group seemed like an odd fit on the surface, but Dina wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Here as in school? Or here as in life?” Jesse questioned through a mouthful of pizza.

“All of the above.” Dina obnoxiously mumbled into the table top.

Jesse grabbed a french fry and dipped it into his ketchup. “Damn.. Derivatives got you down?”

“Say derivative one more time” Dina threatened, the statement severely lacking in venom.

Justin pulled his nose out of the book he was reading, and whispered down toward a motionless Dina, “Derivative”. 

She turned her head to glare at him, but found his eyes conveniently glued to the words in front of him. Deciding his comment could not go without punishment, she gave him a swift elbow to the ribs. Causing the group to burst into laughter. 

“I have no idea why I’m friends with you idiots.” Dina choked out while attempting to catch her breath, slowly raising herself up from the table and unzipping her lunch box.

“You love us.” Jesse smiled.

Justin closed his book and pulled his lunch tray closer. “We’re perfect, remember?”

“Oh my GOD you’re never going to let me live that down are you?” 

Justin smirked in her direction, “You’re the one who said it, not me.” 

The group collectively laughed and began eating their lunch in relative silence. After they had all finished, Dina spoke again.

“You guys doing anything this weekend? We should try to get together and do something fun that doesn’t involve work or” she shuddered “ _derivatives_.”

“Well, I have to mark trees for a timber sale all day Saturday and if I’m being realistic it will probably bleed into Sunday morning too.” Justin supplied.

“I have family coming up on Saturday and they’re staying through the weekend, sorry Dina.”

Dina smiled and waved him off. “No, it’s totally fine. Please don’t apologize. I’ve got a hot date with Newtonian mechanics that I probably shouldn’t skip.” Silence fell upon the group and Jesse appeared to be mulling something over.

“Hey, my family isn’t coming until tomorrow, so I’m free tonight. Doesn’t Tri-County have public skating on Friday nights? We should meet up there and skate for a little while.” He triumphantly suggested.

“I completely forgot about open skate! That would be awesome.” Neither of her friends were particularly good at skating and had no interest in learning, so she appreciated their willingness to slowly skate in circles with her. Justin nodded his agreement, a non-verbal commitment to attend. Dina turned toward Justin and waggled her eyebrows. “You should bring Alicia.” 

“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll shoot her a text and see if she wants to go.” Justin smiled, quickly pulling out his phone and methodically tapping on the screen.

“Would it be okay if I asked Anna to come?” Jesse softly inquired from across the table. “If not that’s fine. I don’t want you to feel like a fifth wheel.” Dina didn’t really know their girlfriends, but she had met them briefly, and in that time decided that the two girls seemed nice enough. So their inclusion didn’t bother her.

“No please invite her! That way I don’t have to hang around you two slow pokes the entire time. Besides, odds are some of my skating friends will be there, so I won’t really be fifth wheeling.” 

Jesse nodded, and once Anna and Alicia had accepted they made plans to meet up at the rink later that evening.

\----

The parking lot was nearly full when she pulled up to the ice arena. Serves her right for leaving the house late. She pulled to the right to head down the back row, searching for a place to park. There was a singular spot left at the end, so she pulled her dated Subaru in. She took the key out of the ignition, grabbed her bag, and stepped out of the vehicle. As she shut the door she noticed a matte black vintage pick up truck parked to the right of her car. 

_I know my car is old, but this asshole better not ding my door._

\----

As she stepped into the rink she was greeted by loud music playing over the sound system, the bass of the song causing the floor to lightly pulsate beneath her feet. The sheet of ice was full of people skating in a counter-clockwise direction. She scanned the building, looking for any trace of her friends. Her eyes stopped when she spotted the back of Alicia’s head, long dark curls falling down her back, standing in front of the skate shop. Looking off of Alicia, she quickly located Jesse, Justin, and Anna positioned close by. Most likely waiting in line to rent skates.

_I could never rent skates. The lack of ankle support would destroy my feet._

She reached her friends right after they had requested their sizes, leaning her left shoulder against the wall next to the skate shop window. 

“So, did you ask for hockey skates, or are you leveling up and going with toe picks?” 

“Hey you made it!” Jesse smiled while Justin caught her in a bone crushing hug.

“Yeah, sorry I’m late. Skate America started tonight. I was watching the men’s short programs and lost track of time.” 

Jesse gave a sarcastic roll of his eyes. “Of course you were watching skating.”

At that moment the skate shop attendant set four pairs of hockey skates on the counter.

“Okay so it’s three bucks a pair for the skates and three bucks to skate. So, 24 total. Unless you’re paying separately. Then it’s 6 per person.”

_Are you kidding me. Why is she always here?_

Dina instantly recognized the voice coming from the employee behind the counter. She inconspicuously looked out of the corner of her eye at the girl as she spoke. Yet again, Ellie stood before her, patiently waiting for the individuals to pay for their skates and wristbands. Ellie obviously hadn’t noticed her yet, so she took some time to examine the lanky girl. This was the first time Dina had seen her in something other than a hockey jersey. Tonight she wore a yellow sweatshirt that appeared dulled from use and washing. A black logo consisting of a wolf inside of an upside down triangle and the school name ‘Wilson’ were embroidered on the front, and a black hockey skate lace with small white lines in it was threaded and crossed through the middle at the top. She peeked down over the counter and noticed loose black joggers.

_Hmm. She looks comfortable._

As her friends handed Ellie their money, Dina spoke up. “Do you live here or something? It’s like you never leave.”

Ellie took the money and stashed it in the cash register. “I could say the same to you.” She then handed Justin four wristbands and turned to Dina.

“And actually, I do.” She used her thumb to point to an area behind her “The owners were nice enough to have a cot set up for me in the back room. Unlimited skating and soft pretzels from the concession stand. All I have to do is drive the Zamboni and rent out skates. It’s a pretty sweet deal.”

Dina stared back at her in disbelief, trying to decide the best way to call her out on her bullshit. 

Ellie placed her elbows on the counter, resting her chin on her right thumb, the other fingers folded and her index finger resting just below her bottom lip. She allowed Dina to sit with her words for a moment before laughing and explaining further. “I’m just fucking with you. Well, kind of. My uncle is the rink manager. So I do drive the Zamboni, and I do eat way too many soft pretzels, but I promise there’s no cot in the back room.”

Dina chuckled and shook her head. “Do other people think you’re funny?” 

“Not sure. I mean, I thought it was pretty funny.” She paused, looking out toward the rink and rubbing the side of her index finger along the skin below her bottom lip. “Is being so uptight a figure skating thing?” She brought her eyes back up to Dina and smirked. “Or is it just you?”

Dina placed her money on the counter and leaned in toward Ellie, a small smirk barely present. “Only when it comes to hockey players.” She pushed off of the counter, adjusted the strap of her bag, and walked to where her friends had already put on their skates. Feeling the emerald gaze on her back for just a moment. 

She sat down on the bench next to Jesse and unzipped her bag to gain access to her skates. Jesse cleared his throat and lightly nudged her with his elbow. She looked up and found everyone looking at her expectantly. When she didn’t say anything, Justin broke the silence. 

“So.. Who’s that?” He raised his eyebrows. “New friend?”

Dina turned her attention back to tying her skate. “I wouldn’t call us friends.” The group's silence told her they were unconvinced, so she elaborated. “She just happens to be at the rink at the same time I am so we talk sometimes. Acquaintances maybe, but not friends.”

Jesse shook his head and hummed. “Seemed pretty friendly to me.” 

Anna nodded in agreement, putting a hat over loose blonde hair. “Agreed. I could feel the tension from all the way over here.” 

Dina furrowed her brow and turned her attention to the other skate. “Nope.” She let out a small grunt, pulling on the laces harder than necessary to tighten them. “Not friends.”

Jesse sensed her discomfort and backpedaled. “Okay, okay. Not friends.” 

The party of four stood up to make their way to the rink-side door. Justin stalled, pretending to adjust his hat and gloves. When the others were out of earshot he leaned down and touched Dina’s shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I don’t talk to my not-friends like that.” She offered up a fake smile and pushed him toward the door. 

“Go skate with your girlfriend, dork.” 

The two couples stepped onto the ice, leaving Dina alone with her thoughts. 

_Relax. Clearly they’re just trying to get a rise out of you. What did she mean by tension? No. Stop. Jesus. Just go skate and have fun with your friends._

\----

Dina was correct in her assumption that she would see people she knew at open skate. Skating briefly with some acquaintances from school and a couple of her skaters. She even ran into Alana and her family and got to chat with her about the coaching schedule for November. The fifth-wheeling was only felt when she stopped by her friends and their dates to make fun of them for looking like baby giraffes trying to walk on ice when they skated. Though she loved spending time with her friends, she found that too much socializing could be draining. So once the crowd started to thin out she decided to take a few laps for herself. Strong, effortless pushes carried her across the ice. The cool breeze filled her lungs and she felt herself relaxing almost instantly. Focusing only on the ice beneath her feet and avoiding the small children that crossed her path. Existence on the ice was simple.

Several laps later Dina decided to look for her group. She stopped pushing, opting to use her momentum to glide as she searched for the familiar faces. They weren’t on the ice, so she looked up into the bleachers and along the wall near the bathrooms, but there was still no sign of them. She looked down to pull out her phone when someone rushed past her, almost hitting her in the process. 

Dina snapped her head up and began to yell. “HEY! Watch where you’re-” She was cut off when she saw the black and yellow blur with auburn hair turn back to face her.

“Catch me if you can, toe picker!” 

_Juvenile.. But a challenge is a challenge._

She knew Ellie was too far ahead to catch, so she cut across along the blue line, determined to prove she was the better skater.

Ellie turned back in time to see Dina cutting across the ice. “Hey that’s cheating!” She protested, doing her best to increase her speed.

“It’s public skate! The rules are that there are no rules!” Dina was gaining on her. Skating always brought out her competitive side, and she loved feeding into it.

“What?! Stop trying to justify your cheating!” 

A few moments later Dina slid past her on the inside. Once she was comfortably out in front, she turned around to face her opponent, doing backward crossovers around the end of the rink. 

“So, are you going to declare me the winner or do I have to do it myself?” She taunted.

Ellie groaned loudly and adjusted her posture so she was standing upright. “You only won because you cheated.”

“Still won.”

“Yeah because I let you. You looked like you needed more than I did.”

“You know, it’s okay to admit I beat you.”

“YOU CHEATED!”

“Still waiting!”

Ellie made a show of rolling her eyes, bringing them back down to rest on the girl who was smiling smugly in her direction. “Fine. You won.” 

Dina turned back around and began to skate beside her. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

“It was quite difficult, actually. I’m pretty sure my soul left my body.”

“Okay drama queen. Don’t be a sore loser.” Dina teased, lightly shoving Ellie’s shoulder.

“I’m not! In fact, I want a rematch.”

“Oh really? You sure you’re ready to lose agai-” Before she could finish her taunt, Ellie had taken off. Laughing as she sped away.

_I guess I had that coming._

\----

Ellie won the second round by a mile. Dina hadn’t tried very hard, but she seemed pretty pleased with herself, so Dina decided to let her enjoy her victory. Ellie had slowed down to allow the other girl to catch up, and they were skating alongside each other once again.

“Wait, aren’t you supposed to be in the skate shop?” Dina inquired.

“There were only 20 minutes left, so I figured I’d come out here and show you a thing or two.”

She raised her eyebrows at the comment. “Oh? And what were you going to show me?

Ellie paused for a moment. “A thing or two.”

Dina looked at the ice and laughed. “You’re weird.”

A brief silence followed. It wasn’t an awkward silence, begging for words to be spoken. It was surprisingly comfortable, a silence she didn’t mind existing in. When they skated toward the door she looked around and noticed they were the only ones still on the ice, the clock on the wall reading 9:10, 10 minutes past the end of public skating. “Don’t you have to Zamboni?” 

“No, my uncle told me he would do it in the morning before the hockey tournament.”

“That sucks.”

Ellie frowned at her comment. “Why does that suck?”

“I’ve always wanted to learn how to drive a Zamboni. I was going to ask you to teach me.”

A gold jacket sleeve reached in front of her to open the rink-side door, its owner chuckling lowly in response. They exited the ice silently and went their separate ways.

\----

Streetlights hummed and crickets chirped as she made her way across the now empty parking lot toward her car. The only other car that remained in the lot was the pick up truck parked next to hers. 

_Of course that’s her truck._

She allowed herself a moment to linger on the idea of Ellie in the driver’s seat of the truck.

_Oh shit. Justin and Jesse._

She reached into her coat pocket and fished out her phone, internally cursing herself for forgetting about her friends. When she turned the screen on she was greeted by two new text notifications, one from Justin and one from Jesse. She unlocked her phone and scrolled down to read them. 

_8:47 pm Jesse: hey, our feet hurt so we decided to go. tried to let you know but you seemed to be having fun with your acquaintance lol thanks again for going with us. we all had a great time. see you monday._

_8:56 pm Justin: not-friend my ass.._

Neither of the text messages warranted an immediate response so she stuffed her phone into her pocket, bringing out her car keys at the same time. Just as she was about to shove her key into the lock on the car door she heard fast paced footsteps coming from behind her. She whipped around to protect herself if need be, but when she turned there was no threat, only a heavily breathing Ellie staring at her with wide eyes.

Dina grabbed at her chest and exhaled. “Holy shit Ellie you scared the crap out of me.”

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Ellie clumsily blurted out.

Dina hesitated and gave the suddenly very awkward girl a skeptical glance. “Um.. I’m not sure. Why? What’s up?”

“Come to the rink tomorrow night. 9 pm. After the hockey tournament.”

“Why..?”

“I.. I want to teach you how to drive the Zamboni.”

Dina’s lips lifted into a large smile and she nodded. “9 pm. I’ll be here.”

Ellie exhaled loudly and returned the smile. “Okay.”

With that she turned and jogged back toward the doors of the ice arena. Once she had disappeared from sight, Dina dropped into her car, throwing her head back against the headrest. The dopey smile remained plastered on her face.

_Not-friend indeed.._


	4. Driver's Ed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Content Warning: Discussions about eating disorders*

The body of ice was covered in darkness, concealing any surrounding features of the building. Dina looked up to find a singular spotlight pointed down at her, bathing her in a harsh white light. Slow, soft music she did not recognize began to play over the sound system above. Moving to the orchestral arrangement came effortlessly. The spotlight followed along as she turned and flowed with the music, letting herself become completely consumed by the feeling. She made her way around the end of the ice, turning backward to begin a set up for a double flip. Immediately the jump felt wrong. She tried to rely on muscle memory to ride it out. However, when she came down her open hip caused her to land heavily on her left side, left hand slapping against the cold ice. Normally she would get up and continue the program, this time deciding to slide with the momentum from the failed jump. Ignoring the music that continued to play. When she finally came to a stop, she rotated to sit on her butt with her legs out in front. Anger and annoyance began to bubble in her stomach, the spotlight burned against her skin. “GET THAT THING OFF OF ME!” She ferociously yelled into the void. The spotlight didn’t move. At that moment she turned and could barely make out a figure standing just outside of the ring of light. A gloved hand with slender fingers penetrated the light, reaching down. A golden sleeve followed.  _ Who.. _ The music began to swell with vibrant violins and deep cellos as Dina apprehensively lifted her hand to accept the assistance. Just as she was about to make contact with the extended hand, the music cut and the spotlight flicked off, enveloping the scene in darkness.

\----

Soft light from the morning sun peeked through the white curtains of Dina’s bedroom, a chilly breeze pouring through the half open window. She shivered and turned away from the light coming from the window. Pulling the blanket up and nestling further into the cozy cocoon of sheets and blankets. 

_ Ugh. Five more minutes. _

Despite her best efforts, a few more minutes of sleep did not come. Instead, a small pit settled in her stomach and her mind drifted to tonight’s plans. Dina rolled onto her back and cracked her eyes open, taking in the off-white ceiling above. After lingering for a moment, she turned her head to look at the clock on the edge of the bedside table.  _ 8:17 am.  _ Far later than she ever got to sleep during the week. With a sleepy grumble she shifted to sit on the edge of the bed, using the heels of her hands to wipe the sleep from her tired eyes and the thoughts from her mind. Then choosing to stand up and stretch, pushing her arms toward the ceiling with a small grunt. When she stretched, parts of her lower back and hips popped and cracked, causing a dull ache.

_ Goddamn skating hips. _

She begrudgingly pulled a baggy crewneck over the shirt she had slept in and padded down the hallway toward the bathroom. Once she was situated in front of the mirror and brushing her teeth, her mind wandered to the strange dream she had the previous night. 

_ Should have known it was a dream. Double flip is my best jump. I always check my left side. It’s flawless. I could land that with my eyes closed. Well.. I suppose I didn’t land it with my eyes closed. That’s beside the point. How do I know that song? And whose hand was that? Maybe.. No. Stupid. She doesn’t get to invade my dreams too. _

Dina furrowed her brow and spit into the sink.

_ It was just a dream. No use dwelling on it. _

\----

The rest of the morning consisted of several long hours of studying at the desk in the corner of her bedroom. There was an AP Psychology exam this Tuesday, so Dina’s eyes combed over her notes and the pages of the textbook. Psychology was interesting enough. Lessons about nurture vs nature and the brain’s responses to external stimuli were always thought provoking. She continued to skim the notes, eyes stopping when they reached the ‘Dreams’ header.

_ I think I need a break. _

Unable to maintain her focus, Dina pushed up from her chair and decided to grab a snack from the kitchen. 

\----

Dina swiftly moved through the kitchen, grabbing an apple and pulling out a chair at the kitchen table. Choosing to sit opposite of her sister.

“How’s studying?” Talia asked, not looking up from the screen of her computer.

“Shtoopid.” Dina tried to respond, her words muffled by the bite of the apple she was still chewing.

Talia abruptly stopped tapping on the keys and looked up just over the top of the laptop. “You should try that again once you’ve finished chewing.” Looking back down and continuing to type.

She couldn’t help but laugh. Annoying her sister was too easy. “I said it’s stupid. I feel like I understand the material, but my brain is resisting one final read-through.”

“Maybe you just need a break.” 

“What do you think I’m doing?” She offered up the apple. When her sister didn’t acknowledge it she took another bite.

“I’d hardly call coming downstairs for a few minutes a break. You should get out of the house. Go for a walk or something. It’s nice out today.” Talia offered.

Dina raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? And how would you know? I’m willing to bet you haven’t left that seat all day.” 

Talia waved her off. “I’m serious. Call Justin or Jesse and go do something.”

“They’re both busy.” She paused briefly to take another bite of her apple. “And I don’t really wanna go for a walk. What am I supposed to do?”

“I am sure you will figure that out.” The words were meant to dismiss her, so Dina took the hint and walked to the living room. Plopping down on the sofa and sinking into the soft material.

_ Go do something? She should go do something.  _

She shifted, sliding further down into the couch. Pouting felt more effective this way. She peeled the sticker off the remainder of the apple and mindlessly rolled it between her thumb and index finger. 

_ Stupid psychology. Stupid busy schedules. Stupid dreams. Hold on.. _

Dina’s eyes widened and she quickly sat up while pulling out her phone. Once the phone was unlocked and the web browser was open, Dina typed ‘tri-county ice arena jackson’ in the search bar. She selected the website and scrolled through it, stopping to select the ‘ice schedule’ option. When the PDF popped up she searched for today’s date. The calendar had a light purple box that stretched from 8 am to 8 pm, the writing within the box said ‘Peewee Tournament’.

_ What the hell is peewee? _

Another tab was opened and she entered her question into the search bar. “Peewee hockey teams consist of players between the ages of 11 and 12.” She read aloud quietly.

_ She may not act like it sometimes, but Ellie is definitely older than twelve. That means she’s not playing today.. Maybe she wouldn’t mind a little company.  _

It didn’t take much internal convincing. Mere moments later Dina was running up the stairs to change. She hastily slipped into a pair of dark jeans and switched out her ratty black crewneck for a maroon hoodie with a white logo belonging to her school on it. Keys were stuffed into her pocket and she swiftly turned to exit the room. The mirror on the wall stopped her briefly. She inspected her outfit and adjusted a few wild strands of hair. Satisfied, she bounded down the stairs toward the front door.

“Where are you going?” Talia shouted after her.

“Out!” 

\----

The rink looked significantly different when there was a hockey tournament. Families sporting various logos and colors to support their child’s team moved about, and rolling hockey bags clunked as they were dragged up stairs. Young children played tag, laughing loudly as they ran, and the line for the concession stand was a mile long.

Dina weaved through the sea of people, the fast food bags held closely to her body to avoid getting in trouble for breaking the no carry-in policy. There was a break in the crowd, so Dina stopped to look for any sign of Ellie. It didn’t take very long to spot her. She sat in a secluded bleacher seat along the half-wall next to the Zamboni entrance, well worn sneakers rested on the back of the seat directly in front. Dina smirked and stealthily made her way down the row behind the unsuspecting girl. 

“Fancy seeing you here.” A McDonalds bag was tossed down into a startled Ellie’s lap, and she stepped over the row below to occupy the next seat over.

Electric green eyes snapped up to assess the source of the thrown food. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too.” She pulled her own bag into her lap, opening it to fish out a box of food.

“You brought me food? Bold of you to assume I haven’t been stuffing my face with soft pretzels all day.”

Dina shrugged. “I figured it was a possibility. But I also figured there was no way you could say no to chicken nuggets.”

Ellie ripped the box of chicken nuggets from the paper bag and enthusiastically shoved one into her mouth, taking notice of another bag in Dina’s lap. “Didn’t know figure skaters could eat chicken nuggets. Don’t you have to follow super strict diets or something? She jested.

Typically vibrant brown eyes turned flat. “You mean the no food diet?” She chuckled, clearly attempting to add humor to her words. “No. I see a therapist for that now.” 

“Oh.. I’m sorry.” Ellie responded, shame present in her small voice.

“Why? My therapist is a nice lady.” Her attempt at deflection had failed.

“No.. I’m sorry for saying that. I didn’t realize it was something you dealt with.”

Dina’s eyes remained cast downward, and she softly shrugged. “We all go through it.” Ellie frowned in confusion, silently urging her to continue. “It doesn’t matter how you’re built. It doesn’t matter if you’re strong. It doesn’t even matter if you can land jumps that would win championships. If you don’t fit their impossibly specific mold you will never be acceptable. If you skate, you experience it to some degree.” She briefly paused and sighed. “The worst part is, it’s so ingrained in the culture of the sport that no one questions it. It’s considered normal.”

“Shit. I had no idea. That’s fucked up.” Ellie scoffed in annoyance at the newly presented information. “Aren’t coaches supposed to protect their athletes? Why don’t they change policies or something?”

“They have. A few years ago US Figure Skating introduced an updated code of conduct for coaches. They’re not allowed to measure our thighs or set weight loss goals for skaters anymore, but that doesn’t stop them from dismissing skaters once they’ve hit puberty or forbidding certain foods. The code didn’t eliminate abuse, it just changed the way it happens.”

Ellie hadn’t touched her food, intently focused on absorbing the words being spoken. “That’s horrible..” Pausing to thoughtfully consider her next words. “I know I could never begin to understand what you’ve experienced, but I think it shouldn’t matter who you are or what you look like. If you’re good, you’re good.”

“I agree. I wish everyone felt that way. But if organizations and coaches refuse to acknowledge the problems within their systems then those are just words. Kids will only continue to suffer.” A pensive, discouraged look remained on her face.

“Dina..” She gasped, desperately trying to convey her sincerity. “I had no idea it was that bad. I apologize for bringing it up. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

Dina turned to look upon her with appreciative eyes, not wanting to linger on the somber topic for much longer. “Please don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong. I can’t change what happened, but I can ensure that none of my skaters will ever have to hurt as so many others have hurt.” Her eyes began to well with tears.

Ellie reached out and gingerly placed calloused fingertips on the sleeve of the maroon sweatshirt. “You’re a good person. I hope you know that. Your skaters are lucky to have you.”

Reddened eyes tore away from the eye contact, turning away from Ellie to wipe the forming tears away. “You’re so cheesy. Eat your nuggets, dork.” The pair smiled and turned their attention back to the open boxes. After a few nuggets, Ellie spoke again.

“Hey Dina, why was Cinderella such a bad skater?”

“Oh man.. Why?”

“Because her coach was a pumpkin!”

Dina sputtered in laughter and shook her head. “You’re so dumb.”

“Yeah I know. But I like seeing you smile, so I’ll take it.” 

Dina shifted in her seat, a wave of both guilt and gratitude washed over her. “Thank you for listening earlier. I know it's a lot, and I shouldn’t have dumped it on you like that. I feel bad for-” 

Again, Ellie reached out, this time her fingers wrapped around Dina’s forearm. “Please don’t apologize. We all go through shit and sometimes it helps to talk about it. I may not always know how to help, but I will always listen.”

“Thank you Ellie. Same goes for you. I’m always here.” 

Ellie squeezed Dina’s forearm and withdrew it to pick up her last chicken nugget. “Now who’s being cheesy?” She smiled and popped the nugget into her mouth.

The obnoxious buzzing from the scoreboard rudely ended their conversation. “Shit, that’s the start of the third period. I’ve gotta fill the Zamboni.” She stood, collecting leftover trash and stuffing it into the bag. “Thanks for bringing me lunch. I’ll see you later tonight, yeah?”

Dina grinned widely, the smile was present in her eyes. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

_ I don’t deserve you. _

\----

Later that night Dina sat down for dinner with the other members of her family. They passed plates filled with food around and engaged in light conversations about work and school. When the conversing subsided, Dina cleared her throat.

“Hey, would it be ok if I went out for a little bit tonight?”

“When and where do you plan on going?” Her mother queried.

She stabbed a piece of broccoli with her fork. “Just to the rink. I have to be there by 9.” 

Her mother folded her hands over the dinner plate. “Why are you going to the ice arena at 9 o’clock on a Saturday night?”

“Yeah Dina, why  _ are _ you going to the rink so late?” Talia questioned with a sly smirk.

Dina rolled her eyes and directed her response away from her pestering sister. “I’m learning how to drive the Zamboni. There’s been a hockey tournament all day so that’s why it has to be later.”

The aging woman clapped her hands together and grinned toward Dina. “That’s wonderful! Of course darling. Just make sure you’re home no later than 11, okay?” 

“Of course.” She agreed, still actively ignoring Talia. “It shouldn’t take too long.” 

“Excellent. Now help your sister clear the table dear.” 

Dina acknowledged her mother’s instructions with a curt nod and began gathering the dishes from the table. Plates and forks were rinsed and stashed in the dishwasher while Dina stood in front of the sink and scrubbed at a pan that was used to prepare their supper. Talia moved behind her, cups in hand, toward the open dishwasher. She stalled behind Dina and whispered, “Have fun on your  _ date. _ ” Then continued on her path to place the used cups. 

“It’s  _ not _ a date.” She hissed back, trying to keep her focus on the sink. 

“You sure about that?.” When she turned to glare at her teasing sister, Talia slapped a hand over her own mouth to stifle bubbling laughter. 

“Oh my  _ god. _ You  _ do  _ like her!” 

Dina shook her head and brought her attention back to the pan she was now drying. “Nope. Just a friend.” She answered curtly, returning the hushed tone.

“Look at that blush!” Talia raised a finger and poked at her now uncomfortably warm cheek. 

Dina quickly slapped the finger away and nested the pan in the cabinet. “Talia. Stop.” She warned, the fire in her eyes burning a hole into the cabinet door.

“I was just teasing you before but now I take it back. Girl, you’ve got it  _ bad. _ ” She shot Dina a wink. “Be sure to let me know how it goes.” 

Dina let out an aggravated groan and stormed up the stairs.

_ Fuck you, Talia. I’m not telling you shit. _

\----

The sky was dark and clear when she pulled in next to the familiar black truck. The rest of the lot was empty, so she had decided the spot beside the truck was the most appropriate place to park. She pulled the keys out of the ignition and rested back against the seat, glancing down to check the time.

_ 8:42. Oops. Hope she doesn’t mind that I'm a little early. _

After exiting the car, Dina took a moment to marvel the stars that hung in the sky above. The slight chill of the air nipped at her nose. The never ending expanse of luminous spots littered across a tranquil blank canvas was mesmerizing. A low, muffled sound interrupted her appreciation of the night sky. She looked around in confusion, attempting to locate the source of the sound.

_ Where is that coming from? It kind of sounds like music.  _

Not finding the source outside, she turned back to look at the building behind her. 

_ That’s definitely coming from inside. Let’s see what kind of music you listen to when you’re all alone, shall we? _

She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her coat and sped to the front doors.

\----

Dina slipped through the door and eased it shut, doing her best to maintain the element of surprise. Cautious footsteps carried her to the edge of the railing that overlooked the sheet of ice. The game day lights had been turned off, leaving only a quarter of the lights illuminated. This lighting was significantly less harsh than usual. Ellie was turned away from Dina’s side of the rink, crouched down and looking at something on the surface of the ice. A large bucket sat directly to her left. The song that had been playing through the speakers faded out, and a new one began. Dina recognized the synthesized notes almost instantly.

_ I love this song. Looks like you have good taste, my friend. _

Ellie grabbed the bucket and shuffled over to a different spot, sliding her feet in time with the beat. Dina shook her head and chuckled at the sight.

_ Dork. Wait, is she singing? Oh she’s definitely singing. _

A mischievous smile spread across Dina’s face, and devilish eyes scanned the wall behind her. She spotted a broom leaning against the counter of the concession stand and tiptoed over to retrieve it. With the broom in hand, she crept to the top of the stairs and peeked down at Ellie.

_ Still looking the other way. Perfect. God Ellie.. You’re making this way too easy. _

When the chorus started, Ellie began to loudly sing along. Her voice echoing off of the glass. 

“TAAAAAAKE ONNNNN MEEEE... TAAAAAKE MEEEE ONNNNN!”

Dina held the broom near her mouth like it was a microphone and belted the next lyrics as loud as she possibly could.

“I’LLLLLL BEEEE GOOOOOONE!” Ellie spun around with wide eyes, her mouth open to protest. “IN A DAY OR TW-” She was cut off when Ellie’s feet flew out from underneath her and she landed on her ass with a dull thud. Dina threw her head back and cackled, dropping her broom. She grabbed the railing with one hand and her stomach with the other as she attempted to catch her breath. Once she had finally regained some composure, she made her way down to the door, flinging it open with force. Trying to avoid the same fate as her friend, she began to penguin waddle across the ice toward the spot where Ellie was still sitting, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. 

“You’re such a dick.” 

“Oh you love me.” Dina reached down to offer the downed girl a hand up.

Ellie scoffed and accepted the help. “You do know that 9 o’clock means 9 o’clock and not 8:50, right?” She let go and brushed the ice shavings off of her pants.

“I was too excited to drive the Zamboni. I couldn’t help myself.” 

“Well it’s all ready to go.” She picked up the bucket with her right hand and extended a bent arm toward Dina. “But let’s not fall again before we get there.”

Dina looped her arm through Ellie’s and they shuffled toward the open Zamboni door.

\----

“Okay, so you’ll sit up here while I’m driving. There’s a hand hold underneath that lip that I would recommend hanging onto if you don’t want to fall off.” Ellie explained as she started the machine and gave it one last look over.

“Wait.. I thought I was supposed to be driving this thing?”

Ellie let out an amused laugh. “No way. You need to learn how to drive it before you actually get to drive it.” She held out a hand and gestured toward the Zamboni. “Are you ready?”

Dina hopped up and over the driver’s seat and settled into the small seat. “My ass already hurts. How do people sit up here?”

“Well.. they usually don’t.” Ellie sheepishly replied. Dina stared at her quizzically. “ My uncle Tommy, Joel, and I are the only ones who drive the Zamboni. We don’t really teach people. I had to beg for months to get them to teach me.”

“Who’s Joel?”

Ellie sat down in the driver’s seat and put her hands on the steering wheel. “He’s, well, he’s my Joel.”

“Your Joel?” 

“Yeah, he’s my adoptive dad. Calling him dad is weird so I just call him Joel.” Ellie nonchalantly replied.

_ She’s adopted? Hmm. Probably a discussion for another time. _

“I’m not going to fall off of this thing, am I?” She asked, the statement laced with both concern and amusement.

Ellie smirked and began to move the machine forward. “So, before you start you have to make sure the blade is up. If it’s not, you’ll hit it on the small lip in the doorway and bend it all to shit.”

“Blade up. Got it.” 

The Zamboni moved up onto the ice, and Ellie pushed down on a handle. “Push down on that handle when you get on the ice. It lowers the blade and the augers. Turn on the augers using this bad boy.” She flicked a switch to the right of the steering wheel. “Then this,” She lightly grunted while rotating a crank. “Is what starts the water. Now we are ready to resurface.” The Zamboni propelled forward and began its path around the boards. Ellie continued to explain the purposes of blades and augers, but Dina’s mind was more interested in the driver.

_ Her eyes look different in this light. They’re deeper and darker, but somehow the light streaks look even lighter. I wonder if she knows that her eyebrows move when she talks. I love the crease she gets between them when she frowns. I wonder how she got the scar. Her lips.. They look soft. I wonder- _

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud clanking noise. “What the fuck was that?!” She exclaimed, tightening her grip on the handhold. 

Ellie tapped on a handle that was back near Dina’s left thigh. “Weren’t you listening? This cleans off the augers so they continue to throw the snow into the catch.

“Oh, yeah, I knew that. I just didn’t expect it to be so loud.”

Ellie narrowed her eyes. “Mhmm.” Shooting Dina a look that she couldn’t decipher. The Zamboni finished its final pass and Ellie steered toward the open garage door. “I have to go outside and empty the catch. Why don’t you hop off here and I’ll meet you out front.” Dina agreed, sliding out of her makeshift seat and watching the Zamboni as it drove out of the building.

\----

The two walked out of the rink side by side in a comfortable silence. Ellie held the door for Dina and locked up after she had walked through. “Thank you for tonight. I had a good time.” She reached into her pocket and grabbed her keys. “We don’t have skating this week. Scheduling conflicts or something. So, I guess I’ll see you when I see you?”

Ellie chuckled. “I am the scheduling conflict. We have home games on Tuesday and Thursday.” She reached up to rub the back of her neck with her hand and stared at the ground. “You should come watch. Well, you don’t have to. But you could if you wanted to.” She sighed and dropped her hand so she could pull at her fingertips. Her eyes remained fixated on the asphalt. “I’d like it if you were there.” 

“I’d love to. What time is it at?” Dina smirked at her friend’s shyness.

A relieved smile spread across the hockey player’s face. “7pm. I’ll have my friends save you a seat. That way you won’t have to sit alone.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you then. Tuesday, 7pm.” 

“Okay. Goodnight, Dina.”

“Goodnight, Ellie.”

She pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward home, humming along to the radio and running her hands along the steering wheel.

_ I still have no idea how to drive a Zamboni.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a little heavier, but felt necessary for the progression of their relationship. Fluff will be back next time I promise.  
> Headed back to work so I will be slowing down with my chapters. I'm anticipating an update at least once a week. Potentially more if time allows. Thanks again for reading!


	5. Five for Fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a rough week. Thanks for sticking with me. Enjoy!

Students quickly flooded the hallways at the final bell. The dull sound of different conversations and the slamming of locker doors fell on Dina’s ears as she leaned up against a locker, waiting for Justin to collect his belongings. Her eyes were focused on the screen of her phone, intently reading an article on the basics of hockey. Her attention shifted at the sound of a locker being closed nearby.

“Hello? Earth to Dina.” Justin waved a hand in her face. “Are you ready?”

Dina nodded quickly and stashed her phone in her bag. She silently pushed off the locker to join Justin as they exited the building. 

“Reading anything good?” Justin inquired.

“What?” She briefly paused. “Oh right. Um, not really. Just reading up on the basic rules of hockey.”

Justin cocked his eyebrow. “Why? I thought you hated hockey?”

“I do, but I’m going to a game tonight and I don’t want to look like an idiot.”

“Oh. _Oh._ ” The realization present in his tone. “Going to watch your not-friend?” He asked with a sly, knowing smirk.

Dina scoffed. “Her name is Ellie, and I guess she’s my friend now.”

The two arrived at their vehicles, and Justin clicked his tongue. “Never thought I’d see the day you would willingly admit to being friends with a hockey player. What was it that you always used to call them?”

“Shit heads?”

He shook his head. “No..”

“Ice thieves?”

“That’s not it either.”

“Barbaric cavemen who wouldn’t know good skating if it punched them in the face?”

Justin snapped his fingers and smiled. “Ah yes. That’s the one.”

“Barbaric cavemen? Oh we must be talking about Dina’s not-friend!” Jesse had appeared and set his backpack on the hood of Dina’s car.

“Her name is Ellie, and apparently they’re friends now. She’s going to her hockey game tonight.” Justin supplied before Dina could get a word in. Jesse raised his eyebrows in surprise, and they both turned to look at her with expecting eyes.

“She still fits that description. She just doesn’t make me want to scream into the void like the rest of them do.”

“I see.. Well, have fun tonight.” Jesse winked. “But not too much fun.”

Dina groaned. “You guys are the fucking worst.”

\----

The admissions line for the sporting event was long, extending out the door and into the parking lot. She joined the line to slowly make her way into the arena, and the panic began to seep into her thoughts.

_I didn’t realize there would be so many people here. How am I supposed to find her friends? What if I can’t find them? Do I just sit alone? This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t be here._

Her intrusive thoughts were interrupted when the ticket attendant requested the entrance fee. Dina handed her a crinkled five dollar bill and allowed her hand to be stamped. She moved away from the line, grabbing the roster booklet for this game on her way. 

The stands were mostly filled, and more spectators were still filing in through the doors. This game was sure to be packed. Dina apprehensively moved along the upper railing. She had long given up on finding Ellie’s friends, so she began searching for an open seat. As she scanned the bleachers, someone clicked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey, you Dina?”

Dina whipped around to identify the source of the question. Her eyes widened in surprise when she was met by a mountain who wore a varsity jacket identical to the one Ellie wore.

“Uh, what? Oh, yes. Yes, I am Dina. Wh-who are you?” She stammered out.

The muscular girl chuckled. She leaned down on her crutches and extended her right hand toward Dina. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Abby.” Dina hesitantly reached out to shake her outstretched hand. “Williams told me I had to keep an eye out for you. Show you where to sit and all.”

“How did you find me? There’s like, a million people here.” She gestured toward the overflowing stands.

“I was told to look for a girl with tan skin, black hair, and big brown eyes.” Dina lightly flushed at the description. “She also said you would probably be loitering near the entrance and look like a deer in the headlights. I didn’t even need to see your face to know you were Dina.”

Dina sighed and covered her face with her hand in embarrassment.

_Yikes. Was I really that obvious?_

“Come on, the group is sitting over here. They saved you a seat.” Abby turned to click toward a spot in the bleachers, and Dina followed closely behind.

\----

When they had reached the opposite side of the rink, the pair stopped above the home team bench and Abby carefully descended the stairs in front of them. She stopped about halfway down and turned to the left. A short, dark girl with tightly curled black hair stood and wrapped her arms around Abby’s neck, placing a delicate kiss on her cheek. The small woman pulled back, running her hands down broad shoulders. “Hey, did you find her?” She asked, clearly not noticing Dina awkwardly standing a few stairs up. 

“Yep.” She threw her head back in Dina’s general direction. “Mission complete.” 

Dina offered a small, sheepish wave. “I’m Dina. Thanks for letting me sit with you.”

“It’s nice to meet you Dina. I’m Nora.” She looked back at the seats behind her. “Mel and Leah.” Two hands waved up at Dina. 

Abby checked her watch and huffed. “Shit. I’ve gotta get down there. Coach will be pissed if I’m late.” She turned to leave when Nora reached out and grabbed her jacket. 

“Please put on a sock or something. I don’t want your toes to fall off.” They both looked down at toes poking out of a lime green cast.

“My toes will not fall off. I promise.” She assured softly, then leaned down to plant a lingering kiss on Nora’s forehead. “Oh hey I almost forgot. Could you open my backpack and grab the coat? It’s for Dina.” Nora fished out the jacket and tossed it to Dina. “Williams told me to give that to you. You know, just in case you get cold.”

Dina examined the jacket in her hands, eyes running across gold sleeves and black shiny buttons. Her fingers traced along the name embroidered in a golden thread. _Williams._ She smirked and shrugged the jacket over her sweatshirt.

_Just in case I get cold.. What a dork._

_\----_

Dina plopped down in the seat closest to the aisle, settling into the uncomfortable plastic.

“You two are nauseating.” The brown-haired girl at the end of their group, Leah, sarcastically shot down the row.

“Okay, if I don’t get to say anything about you and Jordan making out against MY LOCKER then you don’t get to say anything about this.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Besides, it took us a long time to get to this point. I’m not going back to how it was.”

The girl directly to Nora’s left, Mel, shook her head and spoke apologetically. “We’re just teasing you. You know we love you guys.”

“Yeah. And if anyone said something about you guys all of us would kick their asses.” Leah added through a mouthful of popcorn. 

Nora nodded. “I know. Thank you.”

Dina sat quietly, listening closely to the conversation that was happening around her. Nora turned to her and spoke.

“So, you and Williams?”

“Oh. No. No Ellie and I are just friends. We met here and I didn’t like her at first but I guess she’s okay now and she asked me to come tonight so I thought why the hell not. Never been to a hockey game before. So no, just friends.” She sputtered, frazzled by the suggestion of their relationship being something more. All three women had turned to look at her with amused expressions. Before she could face the repercussions of her rambling, the lights of the arena dimmed slightly and loud music with heavy bass began to play overhead.

“Uh.. What the hell is happening?” Dina’s wide eyes looked around wildly.

“Relax!” Mel chuckled, reaching over to whack her leg with the roster pamphlet. “The teams are just coming out to warm up.” 

Right on queue, members of both teams stepped onto the ice, purple belonging to the visiting panthers and black belonging to the Wilson Wolves. The crowd cheered loudly as the skaters powered around their respective halves, skating in circles that looked more like purple and black blurs. The song faded into another hip-hop track, and the players stopped pushing to go through their required dynamic stretching. Ellie was easy to spot at this point. _Number 20._

“This is _definitely_ Jordan’s music.” Leah commented.

“Obviously. I can’t see Owen listening to this. No doubt the handiwork of Jordan and Wyatt.” Mel agreed, slipping her hand into the popcorn bag to steal some of her friend’s snack.

“HEY! That’s mine!” She slapped the hand away and the two continued to bicker about popcorn.

Dina nudged Nora in the ribs. “Who are Jordan and Owen?”

“Jordan is Leah’s boyfriend.” She pointed toward the ice. “Number 7. He’s a winger. Wicked fast. And Owen is Mel’s boyfriend.” Her finger drifted to another player. “He’s number 10. He’s a center and one of the captains. Abby is the other captain.”

“So, how long have you two been together.”

“Around 8 months now.” She sighed, resting her chin in her hand.

“She seems nice.” 

Nora chuckled and turned her attention to the figure leaning against crutches in the home team box below. “She’s intimidating at first. She’s kind of an ass, honestly. But once you get to know her she’s not threatening at all. Just a big soft teddy bear. In the beginning we decided it was nobody’s business and kept it to ourselves. We did it for privacy, but I guess it was mostly out of fear. It was fine, but it also felt like hiding. I don’t want to have to hide her.” She pulled her eyes away to glance up at Dina and lowered her voice. “Ellie is the same way, you know. When she started at our school last year I couldn’t stand her. She was rude and crass and I told her to fuck off more than once. But she grows on you.”

Dina’s eyes were glued to the girl in question as the players lined up for a shooting drill. Ellie turned up to meet her gaze and gave a small wave, causing Dina to blush and smile warmly.

“She really does.”

\----

The first and second periods ended without a goal from either team, and Dina was lost from the first drop of the puck. She asked countless questions about the different lines and dots on the ice, positions, and penalties. Nora was kind enough to answer her barrage of questions. The game was played much faster than she had expected, and the slap of the puck against a sick and the thud of a body against the glass were mesmerizing. 

Ellie had played quite a bit throughout the game so far. She seemed to be everywhere at once, flying around to collect loose pucks and deliver glass shaking hits. 

_She hits pretty hard for a bean pole._

The teams filed out of their respective locker rooms prior to the start of the final period, and Dina caught sight of number 20 standing on the backside of the bench. Ellie flipped her gloves off and lifted the helmet off, leaning down to shake out her hair. She threw her head back, briefly ran her fingers through her hair, and slid the helmet back onto her head. While snapping the straps of the helmet back into place, Ellie turned to make eye contact with Dina. She dropped a hand to tug on the front of the jersey, mouthing what looked like the word jacket. Dina offered a thumbs up in response, and Ellie smiled before turning to face the ice.

Dina buried her nose beneath the collar of the coat, inhaling deeply. It smelled of sandalwood and warm rosewood. The musky aroma had soft undertones of campfire smoke. The scent was intoxicating and, now that it was associated with Ellie, comforting. Dina sunk further into the embrace of the heavy jacket on her shoulders and turned her attention to the booklet in her hands, flipping through until she found the page she was looking for.

_Ellie Williams, Assistant Captain. Number 20. Position: Defenseman. Year: Senior. Favorite NHL Team: Boston Bruins. Interests: Hockey, Video Games, Space, Music._

Dina chuckled as she read, a faint smile graced her lips.

_Nerd._

Her eyes drifted away from the words to examine the picture that was next to the brief biography. The photo was black and white and showcased a smiling Ellie. Her hair was pulled back neatly, and the Wilson hockey jersey hung loosely off of her wiry frame. Gloved hands grasped a hockey stick that rested behind her neck and on the top of her shoulders. Dina brushed her fingertips over the photo, taking a moment to admire the toothy grin.

_She has a nice smile._

\----

The buzzer sounded and the final period began. Owen won the faceoff for the wolves and threw the puck into the corner of the opposing team’s half. Players from each team rushed in to regain and maintain possession. Jordan got there first, picking up the puck and carrying it along the boards behind the net. He was quickly harassed by another player and gave up possession. The purple sweater turned up-ice to move out of the zone, but was quickly stopped when Ellie lowered her shoulder and delivered a bone crushing hit. A back-tracking Owen scooped up the small black disc and fired back into the corner, allowing the team to get in a line change.

“Why do they change out their players so much?” Dina asked, not taking her eyes off of the action.

“They want to keep fresh legs on the ice. It’s basically a 30 second sprint. Switching out often allows them to keep that pace.” Nora explained.

Dina nodded in acknowledgement and the referee threw his hand in the air.

“Why is his hand up like that?”

“Delayed penalty. Once we no longer have possession he will blow the whistle.”

The crowd cheered at the sound of the whistle, and a skater from the visiting team was escorted to the penalty box. The announcer’s explanation followed shortly after.

“ _Penalty on number 17, Johnson. 2 minutes for hooking.”_

“What’s hooking again?” Nora had explained it before, but Dina couldn’t recall the meaning of the penalty. 

“Hooking is when a player uses the blade of their stick to pull against someone who is moving. Basically they have to stop the progress of the other person.” Nora pointed toward the ice. “So now they’re on a power play because the other team is down a player. They’ll put their best players on the ice. One skater stands directly in front of the goal and the other four will stand near the perimeter. They will pass the puck around and look for open shooting lanes.”

“So it’s kind of like keep away?”

“It’s exactly like keep away. Possession is key.” Nora confirmed.

The players lined up in the formation Nora had described, patiently waiting for the puck drop. Ellie drifted along the right side of the ice, coming to a stop on the blue line straight back from the faceoff circle. Play began and Owen restled the opposing center for the puck, winning and flipping the puck back to Ellie. She held the puck and skated along the blue line for a moment to allow her teammates to get into position. The puck left her stick with pace as she passed to her defensive partner. The wolves continued to pass around the soft defensive box formed by the panthers, patiently waiting to strike. 

“Aren’t they supposed to shoot?” Dina asked, her words and expression covered in confusion.

“Just watch. The quicker they pass the more out of position the defense becomes. If they try to force a shot now the defense can clear it and they’ll have to start all ov-”

Nora’s explanation was cut short when Ellie began to hit her stick against the ice and yell loudly.

“SPLIT IT! TAKE THE SPLIT!”

Owen passed the disc through the defenders to his defenseman on the left side. He absorbed the impact, drew defenders, and whipped the puck along the blue line toward a wide open Ellie. She brought her stick up, winding up to take a shot. When the puck was in front of her, she brought the stick down, making solid contact and sending it toward the goal with a smack. 

The puck hit the upper bar of the goal and bounced off of the goalie’s back, landing just behind the goal line. The buzzer sounded and the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Dina stood to join the excitement, whooping loudly and exchanging high fives to celebrate her friend’s goal. Ellie slid forward on two knees and pumped both fists, standing to accept congratulations from her swarming teammates. As they skated over to high five the players on the bench, Ellie looked up and locked eyes with Dina. Dina made a show of clapping and shot her two thumbs up, receiving a beaming grin and small thumbs up in response. 

\----

The tension in the atmosphere was thick. Members of the audience watched the clock, holding a collective breath as the seconds ticked down. Both teams were motivated by the close score, and the players on the ice had dialed up the intensity.

With seconds left on the clock, Ellie stole the puck on a panthers breakaway and sent it to Jordan who was streaking across the middle. A purple sweater caught up to Jordan and pushed him to the outside, sending him around the boards. Sensing the impending pressure, he passed the puck over to Wyatt. Before he could move to get open, a member of the visiting team flew in and cross checked him in the back, sending his head into the boards. The crowd gasped and fell quiet, standing and waiting to see if Jordan would stand up. Athletic trainers immediately hurried over to the downed forward.

Ellie threw down her stick and bolted over to the scene. “YOU DIRTY MOTHER FUCKER!” She yelled, pushing him roughly against the glass. “I WILL FUCK YOU UP!” The guilty party laughed in response and pushed her away. 

Dina could barely make out his response. “Calm down sweetheart. He deserved it.” 

Ellie pushed him again. “Fuck you mother fucker. I’ll kick your ass!”

He shook his head. “You’re not doing shit.” The two began moving toward the center of the ice.

“Oh yeah? I think you’re scared to get your shit rocked by a girl.” Ellie jabbed, the two now circling each other. 

“I knew it. You act so tough when people have their backs turned, but you’re just a little bitch.” Ellie taunted, making a show of shaking her gloved hands. 

Dina could practically see the steam rolling out of the guy’s ears. She frantically turned to Nora. “What the fuck is she doing?! Is she really going to fight him?!”

Nora waved her off, too interested in the developing scene before her. “I have no idea. This shit is crazy! If they throw their gloves it’s an automatic suspension!” 

_I swear to god Ellie. Keep your gloves on your goddamn hands._

Ellie continued hurling insults at the enraged boy. “I knew it. Fuckin’ chicken shit.”

The last comment was his breaking point. He turned to square up to Ellie, and forcefully flipped his gloves off. Instead of following suit, Ellie laughed loudly and turned away to scoop up her stick, calling over her shoulder as she skated away. “Enjoy your time in the box, asshole!” 

The referees escorted the brute to the box, and trainers helped Jordan off of the ice. 

\----

Once the clock reached zero, the crowd cheered for the home team’s victory. Dina stood up to stretch. Sitting for so long left her feeling stiff. She turned toward the girls to her left. “So.. What do we do now?”

“We wait.” Leah responded while folding her blanket.

“We wait? For what?” 

“Uh, for our boyfriends?” Mel answered, as though the reasoning was obvious.

Nora rolled her eyes. “And girlfriend.” 

“Right.” Dina paused hesitantly. “And how long will that take?”

All three of them shrugged in unison, and Leah spoke up. “Not sure. It depends. They have to talk about the game, take all of their junk off, shower, and then they’ll come out.”

Dina nodded, carefully considering her words.

_Should I wait for Ellie? Would that be weird? I don’t want to be weird._

Before she could make a decision, Nora pushed her toward the staircase. “Come on, you can wait with us.”

_Okay, I guess I’m waiting._

\----

Thirty minutes had passed since the final buzzer, and the rink had mostly cleared out. Dina stood near the concession stand with the group. Abby, Owen, and a banged up but okay Jordan had already joined them. Dina had exchanged pleasantries with the guys, but hadn’t engaged any further, anxiously awaiting Ellie’s arrival.

_Of course she’s the last one out._

It felt like an eternity before Ellie finally appeared. Dina’s eyes widened in surprise when she caught sight of the girl walking toward her. She looked down at Ellie’s feet to fully examine her. Caramel brown brogues carried her across the floor. Slim fit, dark navy blue dress pants were cuffed just above the ankle, accentuating strong calves and thighs as she moved. A suit jacket of the same color hung open, revealing a plain white collared shirt underneath. The top two buttons of the shirt were open, exposing pale, freckled skin. Her hair was pulled back into a low, tight bun, still wet from showering. 

_Wow._

When Ellie had closed the gap she threw down her bag and pulled Dina into a gentle hug, ignoring her friends. “Hey, thanks for coming.”

Dina reciprocated the embrace, melting into Ellie’s touch. “Thanks for inviting me. I had a great time.” 

_She smells good._

Ellie pulled away, and she instantly missed the contact. “You definitely picked an exciting first game.” She huffed. “It was a little dicey for a bit. Wasn’t sure how it was going to pan out.” 

“Your goal was amazing. I have no idea how you did it. I would have completely whiffed and ended up on my ass.” Dina gushed.

“Oh. Yeah that.” Ellie reached up to rub the back of her neck and smiled bashfully. “That was nothing. Just saw an opening and took it.”

Abby’s crutch made solid contact with the back of her leg, and Ellie turned to protest. “Ow! What the fuck was that for?”

“The goal was amazing Williams. Not just anyone can hit a one-timer slapshot and go bar down. Take a little credit sometimes.” Abby shot back, earning mumbles of agreement from her friends.

Jordan tapped on her shoulder. “Thank you for standing up for me. That was a fuckin’ cheap shot. I owe you one.”

“I was kind of hoping you’d fuck him up.” Mel added while checking the cut on Jordan’s face.

Dina punched Ellie in the shoulder. “Fuck! Why does everyone keep hitting me?” She complained.

“What the fuck was that all about? Were you _trying_ to get your ass beat?!” Dina demanded, tone laced with concern.

Owen chucked at her words. “Ellie would have destroyed that guy. See this?” He pointed toward a faint scar on his forehead. “This was from the time I checked Ellie in practice.

“Oh my GOD. That was my first day and you were being a dick.” She groaned, turning her gaze down to the floor and lowering her voice. “Besides. I don’t do that shit anymore.”

“What, fight? Then what were you doing?” Dina questioned, still unconvinced.

Ellie looked up with a triumphant grin on her face. “I was goading him into a fight. I was never going to engage.” Dina cocked an eyebrow, encouraging her to continue. “He got a major for the cross check in the back, but throwing his gloves is another major AND a game misconduct.” She paused to chuckle. “Asshole has a suspension coming his way.” 

Dina shook her head in disbelief. “I’m convinced you have a death wish.”

“Well duh. Obviously.” Abby pointed out, and the entire group erupted in laughter. 

“Come on idiots, let’s get out of here.” Ellie choked out between laughs.

The group agreed, shouldered their bags, and moved toward the exit. 

Ellie nudged Dina as they walked. “Hey, what are you doing right now?”

Dina narrowed her eyes at the question. “You mean what am I doing at ten o’clock on a school night?”

“Yes. That’s what I meant when I asked what you were doing.”

“Why?” Dina probed defensively.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go for a drive.” 

Her eyebrows shot up. “A drive?”

“Yeah, you know. We get into my car and I turn it on and-” 

Dina shut her up with a swift smack to the arm. “I know what a drive is, smart ass.”

“Okay well you seemed confused so I figured I’d clarify.” Ellie shrugged.

“I hate you. Where are we going?”

“Not sure. Around?” Ellie offered.

“That’s the best you’ve got for me? Around?” Serious green eyes confirmed the seriousness of the statement. Her thoughts lingered on curfew for only a moment before she responded. “Sure.”

“Wait really?” Visible shock was written all over Ellie’s face.

“Yeah dork.” She hooked their arms and steered them toward the black truck parked at the back of the lot. “Let’s go for a drive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a soft spot for Abby/Nora. I will not apologize.


	6. Astral Arrangements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy... it’s been a minute. I’ve had two days off in the last month, so writing time has been severely limited. Should be getting a little better from here (I hope). Thanks for sticking around.

“So, are you going to tell me where we’re going? Or do you plan on remaining mysterious?” Dina asked, pulling the seatbelt across her body and clicking it into place.

Ellie chuckled and a sly smirk pulled at the corners of her lips. “I already told you. It’s just a drive.”

“I know what you said.” She narrowed her eyes and shifted in the seat. “But somehow I don’t believe you.”

A brief silence enveloped the cab of the truck, and Ellie turned the key, bringing the engine to life. The glow of the dashboard cut through the shadows, illuminating both passengers in a dim, golden light. Ellie fished her phone out of her coat pocket, grumbling as she struggled to connect it to the sound system.

“Do you care what we listen to?” She asked, still fumbling with the tangled cord.

Dina tapped her fingers on the leather of the seat and shrugged. “No, you’re driving. Play whatever.”

“Are you sure? I have a ton of music so we can listen to whatever you want.” The speakers crackled. “And if I don’t have it I could always look it up.”

Dina grabbed her arm to stop the rambling. “Ellie. It’s fine. It’s just music. Play whatever you want.” 

“Okay, I guess I’ll just shuffle my driving playlist.” She unlocked the phone, searching for said playlist. 

“You have a playlist just for driving?” 

Ellie looked at her in surprise. “Uh.. yeah. You don’t?” 

“I mean, not really. I just listen to whatever plays.” She waved Ellie off. “That’s beside the point. Just put something on and let’s go.” 

An amused sigh left Ellie’s lips as she pressed on her screen and set the phone in one of the cup holders. A low, synthesized hum pushed through the speakers while Ellie backed the truck out of the parking spot, headed toward the exit. 

“Are you cold? Nights are getting colder, so I can turn the heat on if you want.” 

Dina sunk into the varsity jacket that still hugged her frame. “No, someone gave me their jacket, so I’m good.” 

A small smile appeared on Ellie’s lips, her eyes facing the road in front of them. “Hmm. Whoever did that must be pretty cool.”

Dina returned the smile, and offered a subdued shrug. “Eh.. They have their moments.” 

They let the conversation settle, and snare drums cut through the air between them. Dina turned her attention to the passing sidewalk. The subdued, dreamy rock melted into the rumble of tires on the road, the hazy glow of the street lamps clung to every note. 

“Who is this?” Dina asked, her chin resting in her hand. 

Ellie’s left hand was draped over the steering wheel and her right rested loosely on the gear stick. “The Killers.” 

“The Killers? Like, Mr. Brightside?” 

“Hell yeah.” Ellie chuckled out, pausing to lick her bottom lip. “Sam’s Town is such an underrated album.” 

“Hmm. Can’t say I’ve ever listened to it.” Dina conceded, her eyes still focused on the passing cracks in the sidewalk. The final note of the song lingered. “But I liked that. Maybe a little whiny, but still good.” 

Delicate, precise chords filled the void left by the ending of the previous song. Dina lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. “Are you trying to make me fall asleep?” She sat up and rubbed at her right eye. “If so, you’re succeeding.” The lyrics of the song were easily recognizable. Dina turned to face the stoic driver, an amused smirk crept across her face. “Hey.” Ellie didn’t acknowledge the words, so she playfully slapped at her arm with the back of her hand, earning a brief side glance. “Remember when I scared the shit out of you?”

Ellie shook her head slowly, playing dumb. “Nope. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Hmm. I seem to remember my wonderful entrance and you falling flat on your ass.”

Ellie surveyed the road, appearing to mull over the statement. “Doesn’t ring a bell.” Dina threw another slap in her direction. “Ow! What is it with you and hitting me today?”

“Admit it! I got you good.” Dina mused as she recalled the memory of flailing limbs and uncontrollable laughter. 

“You’re such a dick.” Ellie scoffed through a poorly concealed smile. 

Dina turned her attention back to the street lamps, still snickering. “You love it.” Ellie shook her head in amusement. “I like this take on the song. It’s peaceful. Who is it and where did you find it?” 

Ellie flipped on the turn signal and down shifted. “It’s actually still a-ha. They released this acoustic version in 2017. I heard it on MTV Unplugged and loved it.” She pulled the steering wheel to the right. “So many people have covered it though. Weezer, Reel Big Fish. They’re decent, but nothing beats the original.” 

“Interesting.” Dina ran a finger along the cuff of the jacket. “So.. is this our song now?” The blinker was flipped on once again. “I mean, first the rink, now here?” Her voice trailed off and she plucked at a loose string on the cuff. “I dunno. Feels fitting.”

Ellie scoffed, her voice low. “Oh, so we have a song now? 

“Seems like fate to me.” She shrugged. “That, or some insane amount of luck.”

The hand on the steering wheel stiffened, and Ellie’s body language became stiff. She clenched her jaw and let out a breathy titter. “I don’t really believe in luck.”

Gravel crunched beneath the weight of the truck, halting the conversation. Dina shot up at the sound and looked around in confusion. “Where the hell are we?”

Ellie’s body relaxed. “A place that I like.”

_ That sounds foreboding. _

Dina paused, waiting for her companion to elaborate. When she didn’t, Dina prodded. “Stop being so mysterious. Where are we?”

Ellie opted to remain silent, shifting into neutral and engaging the parking brake. A lone lamp post illuminated a small portion of the gravel expanse.

“Are we.. Are we at city park?” She squinted to get a better look at their surroundings.

“We sure are.” Ellie flashed a triumphant smile and slid out of the cab.

“Why..?” Dina asked, apprehensive to leave the comforting embrace of the seatbelt. 

The driver’s side door slammed shut. “I already told you. It’s one of my favorite places. Now get out, I need something from behind the seat.” She yelled in response, tugging at the passenger door. 

Dina froze, staring with wide eyes. “You didn’t bring me here to kill me, right?” 

“What?! No!” Ellie shoved at her passenger’s leg and moved aside, gesturing toward the parking lot. “Now would you please get out?”

“Okay, okay.” She hopped down and adjusted the varsity jacket on her shoulders. “Just had to be sure.” 

The bench seat flipped forward and Ellie emerged with several blankets. She turned to move toward the back of the truck, tossing the blankets into the bed and flipping down the tailgate. 

Dina folded her arms across her chest and cautiously stepped toward her friend who had begun to organize the mess of blankets. “Ellie.” She paused and gestured in the general direction of the surrounding park. “What are we doing?” 

There was no response. Instead, faint humming could be heard as she crouched in the bed.

“Can you please just tell me what’s going on? You’ve been mysterious long enough.” Dina whined.

Ellie became still, lifting her eyes to the night sky. “The stars are beautiful tonight.” She marveled. 

Dina looked up to examine the stars. 

_ Wait.  _

The realization slowly set in as she brought narrowed eyes back to the pensive girl in the bed of the truck. 

_ You little shit.  _

“I knew it. You planned this didn’t you?”

Ellie’s gaze didn’t waver. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

A dark, sharp eyebrow shot up. “So you just happened to decide on city park, the sky just happened to be perfectly clear,  _ and _ you just happened to have a shit load of blankets?” 

“Yep. That’s exactly what I’m saying.” The words came out lacking any inflection. The deadpan nature provided little insight into her intentions. 

“I see..” She cocked her head. “I thought you didn’t believe in luck.” 

Ellie huffed. “I don’t.” Her eyes dropped, tone following suit. She rubbed at her chin. “I was going to come out here anyway. I figured you might enjoy it too.”

_ That’s sweet.. _

The sincerity of the statement prompted Dina to meander around to the open tailgate. Ellie hopped over the side and threw the passenger door open once again. 

“More blankets?”

“Just one.” She ripped out a fleece blanket patterned in hockey sticks and pucks. “So we don’t get cold.”

Dina shoved her hands into the varsity jacket. “I’m perfectly fine. But you..” She eyed up the suit. “You might be cold Sinatra. What’s with the suit anyway?”

“We have to dress up for game day. Team rule.” Ellie explained. 

“Makes sense. Our sports teams do that too.” She leaned up against the tailgate. “But isn’t that a before the game thing?” 

“No.” Ellie cut in with sharpness. 

“Well I saw Jordan and Owen after the game and-“

“I wanted to wear it after too. Sometimes I enjoy looking nice, okay?” Ellie interjected defensively. 

_ Wait.. did she dress up for me? _

Dina noticed the tension and dropped the subject, turning her attention to the nest of blankets. A black and yellow bag caught her eye. “I’m not getting in there if the hockey bag stays.”

“Why..?” 

“I don’t want to sit next to your stinky pads.”

“How can you say that when you haven’t even smelled them?! A little presumptuous if you ask me.” Ellie protested. 

“Trust me. I know.” Dina shot back. 

Ellie raised her hands in surrender. “Fine, the hockey bag goes.” The bag was tossed out, landing on the ground with a thud. 

Satisfied, Dina hoisted herself into the bed. Sitting beside Ellie, who was already on her back and under a blanket, hands folded behind her head. 

“Can I sit or am I required to lie down?” 

“Whatever is most comfortable for you. Though I don’t think craning your neck to look up is going to feel great in the morning.”

Dina agreed, sliding down to mirror Ellie’s position. 

“So, space?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Why?” 

Ellie sighed. “Do you want the short version or the long, kinda sappy version?”

“Long and cheesy, obviously.” Dina replied, nudging Ellie’s knee with her own.

“The stars, the solar system, the milky way, the freaking universe.. It’s all so much more. When life gets hard I like to think about space. I think of something that’s so much bigger than myself. Then my problems don’t feel so overwhelming.” She huffed. “That sounds stupid. Sorry.”

_ It’s not stupid.. _

“Hmm. You’re right. That was the cheesy version.” When her friend didn’t entertain her jab, she spoke again. “Cheesy, but sweet.”

The pair let the words settle, and a light breeze rustled the leaves in the trees. 

“When I read that you liked space I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

Ellie threw her hand over her eyes in embarrassment. “Oh my  _ god _ I didn’t think people would actually read those.” 

“You thought wrong! I thought it was an interesting read.” Ellie groaned, and Dina reached across her body to playfully shove at her shoulder. “Hey. I never said it was a bad thing.”

Another groan left Ellie’s lips as she used a hand to rub at her face. “I’m telling coach to take it out as soon as possible.” 

“Please don’t do that.” Dina pleaded. “Besides, how else would I get to know the mysterious, elusive Ellie Williams.”

“You could just ask..” Ellie replied, sliding the hand back behind her head. Her voice low. 

“Okay.. I will.” Dina all but whispered back. “But you’re still not allowed to remove your little biography.” 

“Fine.” Ellie rolled her eyes through a subtle smirk. “Do you have a favorite constellation?”

They locked eyes. Dina’s confusion and her lack of opinion on astral arrangements were apparent. 

“So no stars. Got it. What about planets? Do you have a favorite?”

Dina hummed in thought, considering her options. A mischievous smile pulled at the corners of her lips. “Uranus.” She stifled a giggle.

“Yeah that’s a good one. Definitely unique-“ Dina couldn’t contain her laughter, and giggles poured out of her mouth at the immature joke. “Oh my god are you serious? That’s terrible. You’re terrible.” 

“Excuse me! That was top tier comedy.” Dina objected. 

“Yeah maybe if you’re twelve.” Ellie muttered, not giving Dina the satisfaction of laughing at her comment. 

Dina leaned her head closer to Ellie’s and whispered. “Uranus.” 

This broke Ellie’s stoic exterior. They shared a moment of laughter. “You’re still terrible.” 

“Yeah, well” Dina shrugged. “You love it.” 

Ellie sighed out of the giggling. “You have your moments.” 

“What is  _ your  _ favorite planet?” Dina sat quietly, awaiting the answer. 

“Hmm. Probably Neptune. It’s surface has the fastest wind speeds ever recorded on any planet. I like the color too. The methane in its atmosphere absorbs red light which makes it a deep blue. Oh, and it has 14 moons. Kinda wish we had 14 moons.” 

_ So nerdy.. please keep going.. _

Dina raised an eyebrow when Ellie had trailed off. “You’re not satisfied with our moon?”

Ellie gestured to the moon above. “I mean, I love the moon. I’m going to go there someday. But I would not say no to 14 moons.” 

“You want to go to the moon?” 

“Hell yeah.” Ellie stated with certainty. “Maybe I’ll bring back some lunar material for you.”

“Lunar material?” 

“Yeah. Not sure about you but I think that would  _ rock.” _

A weary sigh forced its way out of her lips. “That was so bad. And you say I’m terrible..” Ellie chortled in amusement. “I think my ears are bleeding because of that.” 

“Quit being so dramatic. I will admit, not my best work at all, but still worlds better than Uranus.”

“Take it back!” Dina turned onto her side to sock Ellie’s shoulder. 

“OUCH! Why?!” Ellie recoiled.

“Take it back. I’m hilarious.” Her closed fist hovered above, threatening to strike again. 

Ellie remained on her back, hands still behind her head. She regained her composure and spoke with a cool demeanor. “Nope.” Popping the P with upturned lips.

She swung again, making solid contact with the same spot. Ellie turned to shoot a glare in her direction. “You know, if you would just take it back I could stop punching you.”

“Is that right?” Ellie mirrored Dina’s position, her head resting on her closed fist. The two were face to face. 

“Yes.” Dina choked out. Failing to exude any real confidence. 

Ellie leaned her head in slightly and whispered. “No.” 

She froze, staring with wide eyes. The husky tone and Ellie’s closeness caused a chill to run up her spine. She gulped, but maintained her position, refusing to back down. 

_ What is she doing? What is happening? Jesus. Shit. What.  _

Ellie raised her hand to wrap slender fingers around Dina’s still threatening fist, guiding it out of the ready position. She spoke in the same husky tone. “We’ll call this one a draw. Yeah?” 

Dina gasped. Her hand was on fire from the contact. “Okay.” She breathed out. 

After what seemed like forever, Ellie broke eye contact and rubbed at the back of her neck sheepishly as she pulled away. Dina exhaled loudly. 

_ Was I not breathing? _

“Come on. Let’s go. My feet are cold.” Ellie offered a hand down from the bed of the truck. 

_ When did she get out of the truck? God.. Get it together Dina.  _

Internal thoughts were broken with a shake of her head, and she sat up to accept the help. 

——

The ride back to the rink was relatively quiet, save for soft music and the passing comment about the artist or title. As they turned into the parking lot, Dina glanced at the time. 

_ 12:30?! Fuck. Curfew. _

Ellie pulled into the spot next to the lone car, shifted into neutral, and pulled on the e-brake. “Thanks for coming with me. I enjoyed your company.” 

“Yeah. I had a good time. At your game and at the park. Thank you for inviting me.” Dina turned to open her door, but was stopped by a burst of words.

“Hey wait.. um.. can I have your number?” Ellie stumbled through. “Sorry, I know that’s weird. I just don’t want to have to hope I see you around, you know?”

_ She hopes she sees me? _

“Yeah. Yeah sure give me your phone.” Ellie handed over the phone, and Dina punched in her number. “Thanks again. I had a good time. Have a good night Ellie.” She handed the phone back. 

“You too. Goodnight Dina.” 

Dina slid out of the truck and into her car, turning the keys in the ignition. The engine came to life, and she connected her phone to the car’s speakers. She searched The Killers on Spotify and scrolled through the most popular songs. One in particular caught her eye, and she selected it. She chuckled to herself as synthesized beats made their way to her ears. 

_ Hah. Spaceman. How fitting.  _


	7. Win, Lose, or Draw

Dina awoke sharply to the shrill buzzing of her alarm clock. She slapped at the source of her current annoyance and groaned, blindly feeling around the surface of her nightstand for her phone. 

_ Fuck. Too early.  _

Once the phone had been located, she brought it into her line of sight, flicking it on and promptly wincing at the harsh light. The screen held one new message from an unknown number. 

_ 1:16 am  _

_ Unknown: you stole my jacket _

The text pulled Dina out of the early morning fog, and she groggily hummed in amusement, last night’s adventures ran through her mind. 

_ Ellie.  _

She turned her head to locate said jacket. It hung over the back of her desk chair, almost appearing to belong there. Once she had saved Ellie’s number, she typed up a quick reply and dragged herself out of bed and toward the bathroom. 

_ 6:21 am _

_ Me: It’s not stealing if you’re the one who gave it to me.  _

After exiting the bathroom and throwing on sweats and a hoodie, Dina’s eyes wandered over to the jacket once again. 

_ Would it be weird to wear it again? _

She loitered, her eyes still fixated on golden sleeves. 

_ Well.. if it’s cold out then it makes sense to wear a jacket.  _

She quickly opened the weather app on her phone, silently hoping it would display a number that would justify wearing the jacket again. 

_ 33 degrees. I suppose that’s cold enough.  _

The phone pinged with a new text notification. 

_ 6:49 am _

_ Ellie: fair point. then I have a condition.  _

“A condition? What?” Dina muttered aloud, puzzled. 

_ 6:50 am _

_ Me: Oh? _

_ Ellie: if you’re going to keep it you have to wear it to my game tomorrow.  _

Dina chuckled and slipped on the familiar coat. The comforting scent of sandalwood and rosewood filled her nostrils and she typed out a quick reply. 

_ 6:53 am _

_ Me: Deal.  _

——

The lack of sleep was not kind to Dina. The lights of the hallway felt brighter and the chattering of students felt almost overwhelming. She trudged to her locker, eager to get this day over with. As she stashed her backpack away, a large body leaned up against the wall of lockers next to her. 

“Those” Jesse flicked at her sleeve “are not our colors.” 

Dina groaned, too tired to deal with the imminent teasing. “Obviously.”

“Sooo..” The word was drawn out expectantly. “I take it you had a good night then?” 

She shrugged, hanging the bulky article of clothing beside assorted textbooks. She already missed its warmth. “I guess.” 

“You  _ guess _ ?” Jesse scoffed. “I don’t buy it.” 

“Jesse..” Dina whined, begging him to drop the subject. “It’s too early for this.” She collected what she needed and slammed the door. Closing her locker revealed raised eyebrows and a shit eating grin. 

“Oh now I really don’t buy it. You look like shit.” 

“Thanks asshole.” She rolled her eyes, landing on his. “I’m just tired.” 

He folded his arms across his chest, dissatisfied by her vague explanation. 

_ I’m the one who wore the jacket. I walked right into this.  _

“Stay out too late?” The voice came from behind them, earning a startled jump from Dina. 

“Jesus Justin.” She clutched at her chest, turning to face him. One of his hands was shoved into a pocket, the other clutched a copy of Walden. “No.. just later than usual.” 

Justin locked eyes with Jesse and spoke to him. “Do hockey games usually go late?” 

“I’m not sure. I’ve never been to one. But if it’s a school sport then they can’t go  _ that  _ late.”

_ Seriously?  _

“I’m right here..” 

The men purposely didn’t acknowledge her, using their height to talk over her head. 

“Kinda sounds like there were extracurriculars after the game.” Jesse suggested with a sly smirk.

“You know, I think you might be right. Maybe she went out with  _ Ellie.”  _ Justin dramatically turned his eyes downward to meet Dina’s. 

_ I hate them. _

She sighed and began to head down the hallway to her first class of the day. Her two lackeys followed closely, eagerly anticipating more details. “The game was really good. They won. Her friends are nice.” 

The men hummed in unison. With raised eyebrows, Justin prodded further. “And..?”

Dina let out a small puff. “And we hung out after the game.” The words felt like an admission of guilt. 

Much to her surprise, neither of her friends had much to say about her confirmation. Instead, they shared a knowing smile and nodded in satisfaction. 

“There’s a game tomorrow..” Dina added softly. “You guys can come with.. If you want.”

Jesse wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and chuckled. “We would love to.”

\----

Indistinct conversations and the shuffling feet of spectators heading toward the entrance of the building surrounded Dina’s car. It had begun to snow lightly, but the change in weather hadn’t deterred the fans. Tonight the Wilson Wolves would play against the Jackson Jets, a rivalry game the community flocked to every season. Justin had texted earlier, apologetically cancelling due to an overwhelming amount of homework, so Dina waited for Jesse amongst the sea of cars. She flicked on her phone to check the time.

_ 6:40. What the hell Jesse. Hurry the hell up. _

A knock on the window tore her eyes away from the screen. 

“Hey, you ready?” Jesse waved down at the window.

Dina removed herself from the vehicle, slamming the door shut behind her. “I was starting to think you were going to ditch me.”

“Pfft. And miss my chance to meet your girl? No way.”

“She’s not my girl.” Dina grumbled in annoyance, her cheeks flushing slightly. 

“Oh I’m sorry, my mistake.” The sarcastic words slipped through a cheeky grin. 

The two joined the line that extended into the parking lot. Existing within the crowd was far less intimidating this time around, but still anxious thoughts began to creep into her mind.

_ I hope Ellie’s friends are here again. Do they sit in the same spot every time? Where do I sit if they’re not here? Shit. _

__ “Oooo what are these?” Jesse questioned, plucking a pamphlet off the top of the stack.

Dina accepted the change from the attendant, quickly glancing out of the corner of her eye. “They’re the team rosters.”

“Oh perfect!” He snickered while flipping through the book. “Now I don’t have to pry details out of you.”

“You’re an ass.” She swatted at the paper, missing as he turned away.

“Interests include! Hockey, well duh..” He read aloud.

“Can you please stop?”

“Now why would I do that? You’re blushing!”

Their bickering was interrupted by a raised voice calling out.

“Dina!” 

She looked up to see Abby waving in her direction. Today she sported a team jersey, presumably her own, and the lime green hard cast had been replaced by a large, soft walking boot. 

“ _ Holy shit. _ ” Jesse muttered.

Dina waved back and discreetly elbowed him in the ribs in response. 

“Hey Abby, no more crutches?”

“Nope! Got the cast off this morning. Starting physical therapy on Monday and, if all goes well, I should be back on the ice within the next couple of months.” She grinned triumphantly. “Good to see you again. And you brought a friend this time!”

“I hope that’s okay..” She reddened in embarrassment. “Abby this is Jesse, Jesse this is Abby.” 

Jesse stuck out his hand. “A pleasure to meet you.” 

Abby shook the outstretched hand. “Of course, the more the merrier.”

“Cool. Are they sitting in the same place as last time?” 

“Yeah, but it’s just Nora this time. Mel and Leah had a group project to finish.” she explained, turning to lead. “I know you could have found her on your own” she tugged at the collar of the jersey “but I wanted to check in and make sure she was alright sitting by herself.”

“Well aren't you sweet.” Dina commented.

“I’m definitely something.”

The duo followed lazily behind the number 4. “Think she would give me her workout routine?” Jesse asked in a hushed tone.

Dina scoffed, holding back laughter. “Would you stop?”

“What?!” He protested. “I  _ wish _ I looked like that.”

“In your dreams bud.” Dina jested, socking him in the arm.

\----

When they had reached the correct location in the stands, Abby slid into the empty seat directly behind Nora, leaning down to wrap her arms around slender shoulders. 

“Hey you.” She whispered into Nora’s neck.

Nora turned. “Hey, what are you doing up here?” 

“Wanted to check on you.” She planted a quick kiss on Nora’s lips and then continued. “And I brought you some company.” 

Dina sat down beside her, and Jesse to the right of Dina. 

“Hey Dina, nice to see you again.” She smiled warmly, peering around Dina expectantly.

“I’m Jesse. It’s nice to meet you.” He stuck his hand out once again.

Nora shook his hand. “I’m Nora.” She turned back to her girlfriend. “I appreciate you, but coach is gonna kill you if you’re late.”

“What’s he going to do? Not let me play?”

“Go!” She pushed Abby’s arms away. “And take it easy please. Don’t break yourself on your first day of freedom.”

“Fine, I’m leaving.” She conceded, kissing the top of Nora’s head and then turning toward the others. “Enjoy the game. I’ll see you all after.” 

Abby turned to ascend the stairs, moving with far more speed than she had the other day. Nora followed with her eyes, watching in both concern and admiration. 

\----

This game was much like the last. The lights in the arena dimmed, signalling the beginning of the warm up period. The crowd roared as skaters emerged and the ice ripped beneath decisive edges. Though instead of hip-hop, heavy chords and driving bass thumped through the speakers. 

“Not Jordan’s music this time?” 

Nora chuckled. “No, this is Abby’s.”

“Jesus.. Why are they screaming?” Jesse craned his neck to peer around Dina, questioning with wide eyes.

The two girls had a laugh at Jesse’s expense, and Nora gestured down at her girlfriend on the bench. “She acts so tough all the time.. But don’t let her fool you.” She crossed her arms and sunk slightly in the seat, her lips curled upward. “She’s always the little spoon.” 

Dina’s eyebrows shot up, and her eyes widened in surprise.

_ That’s hilarious.. Am I allowed to laugh? I hardly know them.. I feel like I should laugh.. _

Before the silence could wander into awkwardness, Ellie skated into view. She stood opposite Abby and snagged a water bottle off the top of the boards, engaging in conversation with her teammate. There was a subtle elegance to the way she moved. Not just on the ice, but in every situation. Even the smallest of actions were performed with understated decisiveness and confidence, and Dina couldn’t peel her eyes away, even when Jesse began to speak. 

“So, when she’s not broken, what position does Abby play?” 

“She’s a defenseman like Ellie. They’re partners, actually.” Nora replied.

The mention of Ellie’s name drew Dina’s attention away from said player and to the current conversation.

“They have partners?” Jesse responded, both confused and curious.

Nora nodded. “Makes it easier for substitutions. They work best together too.”

Jesse began to snicker, and Dina turned to him with narrowed eyes. She hated it when he would laugh aloud and not explain what was so funny. Instead of the usual protest, he pointed down toward the bench. 

“Does that mean they chose their numbers on purpose?” He held back laughter.

_ What? _

Nora snorted and shook her head. “Sure does.” She and Jesse made eye contact and began to giggle like school children.

_ Numbers? What? Four and twent… oh. OH. Oh my god. _

Dina’s hand clapped over her mouth and she shook her head at the revelation, doing her best to not seem immature. But, despite her best efforts, the laughter seeped through anyway.

“Childish.” She choked out between giggles.

“Genius!” Jesse marveled.

“Completely and totally in character.” Nora added to their sentiments with finality.

When the laughter began to subside, Ellie looked up toward the group. Her furrowed brow was distinct, even through her face shield. Dina gave her a small wave. This diffused the conflict within her facial expression, softening her features and bringing a sweet smile to her lips. She brought a gloved hand up to discreetly tug on the front of her jersey, referencing Dina’s current choice of outerwear. Dina instinctively sunk into the warm embrace of her friend’s jacket in response. The smile on Ellie’s face widened, but their secluded moment was cut short when the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the warm up period. 

“What was that?” 

She turned to meet the question and found the source to be a cocky Jesse, his eyes gleaming with amusement. 

“What? Nothing..” She retreated into the hard plastic of the seat.

“You should really do something about that.”

“I’m not talking about this with you.” The words had bite, so Jesse softened.

“I’m serious.”

“Jesse.. I barely know her.”

He shrugged. “Then get to know her.”

A response was unnecessary, so Dina decided to sit with her thoughts, mulling over her best friend’s commentary.

_ Get to know her? How do I do that? It’s probably not my place. What if she doesn’t like me like that? …… She definitely doesn’t like me like that. _

\----

It seems that every hockey game is fast paced. The skaters flew back and forth, popping up quickly after being slammed into the wall. Dina spent most of the game explaining what she could to Jesse, but truthfully Nora supplied most of the contextual information for the basically clueless duo. 

Ellie played well, making several runs up the ice and stoic defensive plays. No one got past Ellie, but her team’s attacks were deflected as well. The match ended in a 0 - 0 tie. A scoreless game sounds boring on the surface, but the hopeful shots on goal and intensity from both teams made for a thrilling, exciting experience. Even for those who aren’t avid hockey fans.

At the sound of the buzzer both teams lined up to shake hands. Ellie made her way to the back of the line with a downcast gaze, most likely disappointed with the end result. Abby shuffled out to her teammates with the coaches. When she reached the group, she gave Ellie a solid pat on the back. The two exchanged a few words, shared a fist bump, and moved through with handshakes.

_ I hope she’s not disappointed. She played wonderfully. She is wonderful. _

\----

Abby joined them following the dismissal of the team almost immediately, loitering with the small group until Ellie arrived. 

“What did you think?” Abby asked, the question directed at the newcomers to the sport.

“I honestly cannot believe I’ve never watched hockey before. You guys are badass!” Jesse replied enthusiastically.

Dina nodded in agreement, her focus directed away from the question and toward the direction of the locker rooms.

She didn’t have to wait long. A dejected Ellie emerged, sluggishly walking to them. Her hair looked as though it had been pulled back hastily. The team joggers she wore hung loosely off of her frame. Ellie didn’t acknowledge anyone else, instead choosing to walk straight up to Dina.

“Hey. Good game.” Dina’s words were shy, cautious, trying not to overstep.

Ellie kicked at the ground with her shoe, not making eye contact. “Thanks for coming.” 

Dina reached out, gently tapping on her arm to get her attention. 

_ I want to look at you while I talk to you. _

“I wouldn’t have missed it.” The words were sincere, and a small smile appeared on the corner of her lips.

Abby cleared her throat and sauntered over to Jesse, her phone outstretched.

“Hey, could you take a picture of us? Dad said something about wanting a new picture for the fridge.”

“Yeah absolutely!” He took the phone and backed up a few steps.

Ellie and Dina looked on awkwardly, not sure where to stand or what to do. They watched as Abby engulfed Nora in a loving hug, their smiles reaching their eyes. 

_ They look happy. _

Jesse returned the phone to a thankful Abby and turned to the other pair. 

“Hey. Dina. Give me your phone.” He requested through a cheeky, mischievous grin.

“Why..” She queried.

“Don’t you need a picture for the fridge too?” 

_ Dick. _

Much to everyone’s surprise, Ellie flipped her phone into Jesse’s open hand. Then taking her position next to Dina once again. 

“What?” She defended, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s for blackmail, obviously. A figure skater came to my hockey game.” 

Jesse shrugged, not interested in her half hearted attempt at reasoning, and held up the phone.

Both of them stood with their hands at their sides, leaving a couple of inches between them. Their awkwardness made everyone, including them, cringe. 

“Can you at least pretend to be comfortable around each other?” His words were tinted with annoyance.

Dina huffed, giving him a death glare. “Well how are we supposed to stand?”

Before Jesse could hit back with a snarky comment, Ellie turned her head down toward Dina and whispered. “Is it okay if I put my arm around you?”

Her words were mesmerizing. Dina had to choke down butterflies long enough to whisper back. “Yes.” 

A slender yet strong arm was draped across her shoulders, her fingers curled slightly so that some of the tips grazed the side of Dina’s shoulder. The weight of her arm sent shivers down her spine. 

_ Should I do something with my arm? _

Before she could stop herself, Dina was speaking. Her tone hushed and their eye contact unbroken. “Can I put my arm around you?”

Ellie’s eyes sparkled, her response was breathy. “Yeah.” 

She held onto the black warm up jacket for dear life, like Ellie was going to slip away at any moment. Their eyes remained locked for a moment more. 

“Okay, smile!” Jesse directed.

The two raised their eyes to look at the camera, and Dina’s head fell to rest on Ellie’s shoulder. For once there were no thoughts of strangeness. It was where she felt she belonged. 

Jesse snapped the picture and Ellie turned her eyes downward once again, speaking in husky tones. “No stargazing tonight. I have homework.”

“That’s okay, I’ll get in trouble if I break curfew again.” She paused, considering her next words carefully. “Skate Canada is happening this weekend. We should watch it together.”

Ellie beamed. “Yeah. Let me know when.”

Jesse returned the phone and the two broke apart. As they left the building, the other members of their group shared the same knowing smile. 

\----

Everyone bid their farewells and broke off to their separate vehicles. Jesse walked closely alongside Dina.

“I’m going to say one thing and then I promise I’m done.”

Dina sent an exaggerated eye roll in his direction.

“That girl is into you. I mean it.”

“Goodnight Jesse. Thanks for coming. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She smiled and patted his shoulder, consciously choosing to ignore his comments.

\----

The front door shut with a soft click. Dina kicked off her shoes, opting to bring the jacket she still possessed up to her room. 

She carefully draped it over her desk chair and flopped onto her bed, exhaling heavily as she hit the mattress. 

_ Should have put pajamas on first. I don’t wanna get up. _

Before she could muster the energy to retrieve sleepwear, her phone buzzed.

_ 10:37 pm _

_ Ellie: thanks again for coming tonight _

_ 10:38 pm _

_ Me: Thanks for inviting me. I like watching you play. _

_ 10:38 pm _

_ Ellie: not a great game, should have won. but thanks _

_ 10:39 pm _

_ Me: You still played great. Win, lose, or draw. _

_ 10:42 pm _

_ Ellie: thank you. hey, thought you might want these  _

_ Attachment: 2 images _

Dina furrowed her brow. 

_ These? As in plural? _

She opened up the first picture. They were both smiling brightly at the camera.

_ She looks nice.. _

Dina swiped over to the second image, unsure of what was going to pop up next. The file loaded and a candid photo popped up on her screen. 

_ I swear to god Jesse.. _

In the photo, their arms were wrapped tightly around one another, their eyes locked. She spent several minutes admiring the unexpected photo, her eyes drifted over every detail of Ellie’s face. A moment she never wanted to leave, now immortalized.

_ 10:50 pm _

_ Me: Thank you, these are great. I’m going to pass out. Talk to you tomorrow? _

_ 10:51 pm _

_ Ellie: yeah, sweet dreams dina _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long i was too busy laughing at the 'dont you need a picture for the fridge too?' line


	8. Can You Do That?

As the Saturday morning sun crept up in the sky, the world surrounding the city was still. A chorus of birds chirped and a dusting of snow covered the ground, already beginning to diminish as the world began to wake up. Dina stirred in her cocoon, grumbling at the interruption of her cozy slumber. She groaned loudly and threw the blanket over her head.

“Stupid fucking birds.” She complained aloud, begging for just a few more minutes of sleep. When her silent prayers weren’t answered, she submitted to being forced to exist in the land of the living. 

_ 7:27 am _

_ Me: Hey, still want to come over today?  _

Dina padded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her mind was still foggy, but the low grumble in her stomach could not be ignored any longer. Talia and her parents had left to visit family in Utah on Friday morning, so the house was empty, undisturbed. It was lonely. She chewed her cereal lazily while dwelling on her plans for the rest of the day, frequently glancing at her phone. The phone stayed dark, as Ellie was likely still asleep. 

_ Curse my healthy sleep schedule. _

She deposited the empty bowl into the sink. It could wait until later. The phone remained silent, so she trudged back up the stairs and in the direction of her bathroom. A shower was definitely necessary, and would be the perfect distraction. 

The shower started with a thunk, and Dina drifted back to the vanity where her phone sat. She absentmindedly flicked it on. No messages appeared, and a small pit formed in her stomach. A scoff escaped through her lips, and she turned up to stare herself down in the mirror.

_ Don’t be the girl that sits around waiting for a text. It’s pathetic. _

She pulled her eyes away from the reflection and undressed, unable to shake the unrecognizable shame she felt. Stepping into the shower, the water washed away any and all rationalization of her guilt.

_ She would never like me like I like her. _

There it is. 

\---- 

Dina sat at her desk, a towel wrapped around her still drying hair, mindlessly flipping through a textbook. She actively avoided her phone, unwilling to give into the urge to call the lanky redhead. The intrusive thoughts kept poking, taking jabs at her will to focus on anything other than Ellie. An aggravated groan sliced through the silence of her room, and she slammed the textbook shut. 

“I just need to plan for today,” she sighed, “then maybe I’ll stop acting like a lovesick puppy.”

Her eyes widened at the sound of her own admission. 

_ Did I just say that out loud? _

As she mulled over the validity of her prior statement, her phone buzzed on the desk. There was no time to think about how undeniably desperate she was acting, the phone was snatched up and opened instantly.

_ 8:51 am _

_ Ellie: hey, sorry i just woke up. yeah i’d like to if thats still ok. _

Dina smiled at the simple words, sinking down into the computer chair and sheepishly covering the smirk with the collar of her sweatshirt. 

_ 8:52 am _

_ Me: Not a big deal. I had stuff to keep me busy this morning. Yeah that would be great. _

_ Hah. Liar. _

Dina swiped the accusatory thoughts away and hit send. She flipped open her laptop and opened up the search browser, figuring she should probably know the schedule of events before telling Ellie what time to come over. Once she had reached the official website for Skate Canada she scrolled down, skimming the page for start times.

“Okay.. Free dance is at 5 tonight.. Ladies’ long at 7.. Pairs’ long is at 11 and men’s long is at.. One in the morning?!” She read to herself, choking in surprise at the late start times she hadn’t anticipated. The buzz from an incoming text broke her astonishment.

_ 9:00 am _

_ Ellie: cool, what time? _

_ 9:03 am _

_ Me: The first event starts at 5, so 5? _

_ 9:05 am _

_ Ellie: first event? there’s more than one? _

_ 9:06 am _

_ Me: Yeah dork. There are 4 events but they go pretty late. We don’t have to watch all of them. _

_ 9:08 am _

_ Ellie: what if i want to watch all of them? skating marathon _

_ 9:09 am _

_ Me: You think you can handle all that? _

_ 9:09 am _

_ Ellie: hell yeah _

_ 9:11 am _

_ Me: Suit yourself. So, 5 then? _

_ 9:12 am _

_ Ellie: is 4:30 ok? then i have time to bombard you with questions beforehand  _

_ 9:14 am _

_ Me: Oh dear. Not sure if I should be scared or excited. _

_ 9:15 am _

_ Ellie: definitely both. but i have to do some homework and clean my room before i come over so i’ll see you at 4:30 _

_ 9:17 am _

_ Me: Can’t wait! _

_ 9:17 am _

_ Ellie: i know ;) _

The smirk on Dina’s face had quickly grown into a full blown grin. A kind of grin so big it can be seen all the way to someone’s eyes. She quickly rose from the chair and walked toward her bed, accidentally throwing the towel off of her head in the process. 

_ A smiley face?! _

She rose up onto her tiptoes and spot turned gracefully, giggling and basking in the glow of the sudden rush of excitement. Her heels hit the edge of the bed and she flopped onto the mattress, eyes to the ceiling and arms stretched out and away. A sigh of relief pushed itself out of her lungs, and the phone in her hand buzzed loudly.

_ Oh my god let me be pathetic in peace.. _

_ 9:25 am _

_ Ellie: so.. might need your address. any chance i could get that? _

“Idiot.” She shook her head and giggled. Once she had typed up her address and sent it out, she sat up on the edge of the bed to glance around the room.

_ What the hell am I going to do for 7 hours? _

\----

Turns out seven hours is a long time. Her homework was finished, the laundry had been done, and now Dina sat on the couch doing her best to ignore the clock. She absentmindedly flipped between apps on her phone, willing the minutes to pass faster. After way too much internal deliberation, she hesitantly looked up at the clock on the wall.

_ 4:10. I should change. _

She tossed her phone onto the coffee table and made a beeline for the stairs, scurrying up the stairs and into her bedroom. Once in her room, she stood in front of her full length mirror to examine the state of her appearance. A well worn black crew neck and loose gray sweatpants stared back. Dina tore her eyes away and flung open the closet door, flipping through the row of hanging shirts.

_ I can’t look like shit.. But I don’t want to overdress.. Casual? What the fuck counts as casual? I should have done this sooner. _

After deciding that dressing down was more appropriate than dressing up, Dina grabbed her royal purple G2C hoodie and slid it on over a black tank top. She turned back toward the mirror and pulled her loose hair out from under the collar, once again taking a moment to inspect the details of her attire. 

_ This is a nice sweatshirt. Good enough, right? I hope.  _

The self doubt crept closer to the front of her mind, threatening to consume every thought and action. The chime of the doorbell shook her from a self deprecating spiral. Dina’s hands frantically flew down to her pockets. “Where the fuck is my phone? What time is it? Shit.” She slammed the door to her bedroom and bounded down the stairs toward the front door.

Just short of the doorway, she willed herself to slow down, taking a breath and composing herself. Her heart was still racing when fingertips grasped the door knob, turning it to reveal the human standing on the other side.

Ellie waited awkwardly, eyes downcast and one hand shoved into the pocket of her tight black jeans. An olive green bomber jacket hugged her shoulders. The jacket was only zipped a little over halfway, revealing a black hoodie underneath. Dina’s eyes floated down to Ellie’s other hand. It was holding something..

“Flowers?” She thought aloud, her eyebrows raised.

“Well hi to you too.” Ellie chuckled out.

Dina felt her face flush and she ran her fingers through her hair, embarrassed about the greeting. “Oh.. Sorry. Hi Ellie.”

“Hey.” Ellie’s pocketed hand found its way to the back of her neck and began to rub nervously. “Yeah. Joel insisted it was rude to show up to someone's house empty handed. So these are for your mom.. Or whatever.” Her eyes still avoided Dina’s, and the flowers were shoved forward.

“Well..” Dina looked back into the empty house, then back at Ellie. “My mom isn’t here. She went with my dad and sister to Utah for a few days.”

“Ah shit. Well now I feel dumb. I can just take these..” 

Dina wrapped her fingers around a slender wrist before Ellie could turn away. “No, no.” She spoke softly, easing the flowers encased in crinkly plastic from Ellie’s death grip. “I’ll take these. They’re beautiful. Thank you.” 

A faint blush dusted across freckled cheeks, and Ellie met Dina’s gaze. “You’re welcome.”

“Well, you can come in.” She turned to head toward the kitchen, and Ellie followed apprehensively. 

\----

Once shoes had been discarded and the bomber jacket was on a hook, Dina opened one of the cabinets in search of a vase. Ellie leaned over the counter of the island, watching intently.

“So, what’s G2C?” She questioned.

Dina set the flowers down on the counter and turned to face the source of the question. “G2C. Grassroots,” she traced the number 2, “to Champions.” Ellie cocked an eyebrow, so Dina elaborated further. “It’s a skating camp. One of those camps that everyone wants to go to, but not everyone gets into.” 

“Really?” Ellie seemed impressed.

“Yeah,” she chuckled at a memory that resurfaced, “one year I forgot to send my registration in right away, and by the time I remembered it was full. But I know the coach who runs the camp, so I texted her and asked if there was any way I could still attend. Apparently she likes me because they made an exception for my application and I got to go.”

Ellie cocked her head, and a devilish smirk appeared. “So you cheated your way in?”

The vase clunked as it hit the counter, and Dina scoffed. “What about that would you consider cheating?” She unwrapped the flowers. “I asked a question. I didn’t force her to say yes, but she likes me so she did.”

“I see.” The smirk remained, but a shift in her body position signaled she had moved past the detail. “So.. You go to fancy camps, you have a fancy jacket.. Are you like, super good or something?”

The smile fell from Dina’s face as she stuffed the pink flowers into the vase. “Eh. Not really. I’m alright.”

“Just alright?”

She shrugged. “That’s a hard question. If you’re comparing me to the general population then I am an excellent skater, but if you’re comparing me to the people I trained with then I am painfully average.” Dina allowed her words to hang in the air and turned to grab them some snacks.

Ellie hummed, processing the strangely self loathing explanation. “I find it hard to believe that anything about you is painfully average.” 

__

Each syllable traveled up her spine like wildfire, setting every inch of skin ablaze. The world was on fire, and, despite the heat that radiated from her entire being, Dina felt frozen to the spot.

_ What did she just say? _

Ellie stood up behind her, and the movement was enough to break Dina’s anxious spiral before it could gain too much momentum. 

“Free dance starts soon. You ready?” She gestured toward the living room, snacks in hand.

“Lead the way.”

\----

It only took a few minutes for Dina to realize that Ellie’s questions would be persistent throughout the evening. Not that she really minded. Skating was one of the few things she felt qualified to talk about. 

“So two people skating together is called pairs, but there are two different types of pairs? I don’t get it. It’s literally a dude and a chick skating together. What’s the difference?” Ellie asked. She looked comfortable in the corner of the sectional, her legs outstretched and a bag of cheetos on her chest.

“Well there's ‘regular’ pairs and then there’s ice dancing.”

Ellie popped a cheeto into her mouth. “Yeah I still don’t get it.”

“Both events are judged on how well you skate alongside your partner and both have lifts, but they have different technical requirements. Standard pairs skaters are required to complete jump and spin elements together. They’ll do side by side triples, throw jumps, an-”

Wide green eyes whipped around to gawk at Dina. “Wait.. The dude THROWS her?!”

“Yes..”

“He throws her straight up into the air?!”

“Well, no.. He throws her up and out, and then she will typically rotate 3 times and land on one foot.” Dina elaborated.

“THREE TIMES?! Holy shit. That’s badass. How does she not fall on her face?”

“Ohhh trust me. That happens.” Dina let out a mirthful chuckle and Ellie’s jaw dropped.

“Not gonna lie.. I kinda wanna see that..” Ellie admitted, shrugging and biting down on another cheeto. “When is that one on?” 

“You want to see someone fall on their face?” 

“No! I want to see the throwing!” She defended. “But.. If someone does happen to fall on their face I cannot promise that I won’t laugh.”

Dina buried her own snickering by rolling slightly so she could smack at Ellie’s arm. “You’re terrible.”

Ellie waved her off. “Yeah, yeah I know. Now please continue because I’m still lost.”

“Maybe if you stopped interrupting me I could actually get you up to speed.” A cheeto hit the side of her face and she turned to glare at the culprit. “Are you done?” When Ellie had nodded in agreement, she spoke again. “Ice dancing doesn’t have any jumping or spinning. Their scores are based on timing, expression, and the execution of different types of turns and lifts.”

Satisfied with her simplified explanation, Dina looked over to see if her companion had any further questions. Her gaze fell upon a furrowed brow. Ellie was pointing at the television. “I thought you said this didn’t have any spins. That was definitely a spin.”

“Those aren’t spins..”

“If they go like this,” she pointed her finger to the ceiling and made a circular motion, “then I would call it a spin.”

Dina nodded. “Fair enough, but those are called twizzles.”

“Well a ‘twizzle’ looks a lot like a spin to me.”

_ There are too many details and specifics in figure skating.. How do I put this into layman's terms while also doing their differences justice.. _

“Okay, so if I’m doing a sit spin I stay on the front of my blade, but if I’m doing a twizzle I’ll turn on both the front and back of my blade. That makes the marks on the ice different. A sit spin will look like a bunch of small round loops, while a twizzle looks like several connected 3’s. But the easiest way to tell them apart is how far they travel. We want spins to stay in one spot. If they don’t, you’ll get docked execution points. Twizzles are supposed to move across the ice.”

“So stationary is a spin and moving is a twizzle. Got it.”

_ That would have been a much simpler explanation. _

They fell quiet as the next skaters were introduced. The ice dancers were Hawayek and Baker from the United States. Once their names were announced, the team presented and glided to their program’s starting spot.

Dina frowned and folded her arms across her chest. “I know I’ve skated with Jean-Luc Baker,” she huffed, “but I can’t remember where. Ever since they started skating for Team USA it has bothered me. Why the hell can’t I remember..”

“Wait..” Ellie interrupted her reminiscing. “You know that guy?”

“I don’t know him personally, but I KNOW I’ve skated with him multiple times.”

“You’ve skated with someone that is on Team USA? Holy shit Dina.. That’s nuts.” She paused briefly. “Do you know other people?”

_ Too many to count. _

“I know a couple of skaters that are or were on the national team. We aren’t friends by any means but I’ve either skated with or against them.”

Ellie’s eyes widened. “Seriously?! Who?”

_ Who might she know? _

“Um, do you know who Jason Brown and Gracie Gold are?”

“Not a clue.” 

_ Of course. _

“Both of them are olympians and national champions. I trained with Gracie for a few months one summer in Minnesota when I was younger. She was a higher level than me so I was always too intimidated to really say anything, but I remember sitting next to her in the locker room at Skate St. Paul. And I competed against Jason in a spins event at the DuPage Open in Illinois.”

“That’s pretty damn cool.” Ellie shot her a warm, crooked smile.

Dina brushed off the praise, deflating. She didn’t want to seem conceited, but it really wasn’t all that cool anymore. Was it a nice party trick? Sure. But at this point they were just people she had skated with. People who had excelled and become champions, while she had fizzled out and cracked under the pressure of her own mind. She knew how privileged she was to be able to tell these stories, but they were simply a reminder of all of her failures.

“So..” Ellie must have sensed her discomfort. “Did you ever do pairs?”

“Pfft. Absolutely not.” Dina chortled, a genuine warmth returned to her smile.

_ I wish I had.  _

“Well why not?”

“I’m a little taller than ideal, and I would have had to move. There aren’t exactly a ton of partners to choose from in Wyoming.”

Ellie thought deeply for only a moment, then threw the bag of cheetos onto the coffee table and stood up swiftly. She paused to brush some crumbs off of the front of her sweatshirt and extended an open hand down toward Dina. “Come on.”

Dina narrowed her eyes, watching skeptically. “What are you doing?”

“I’m your dance partner now, so we have to practice.” Ellie insisted.

“Now? You want to dance right now?”

The taller girl’s confidence wavered for a moment, and her voice became small. “I mean, if you want to..”

Dina placed her hand in Ellie’s and allowed herself to be pulled to the center of the room. Her steps were apprehensive as she tried to gauge the other girl’s intentions. “You need music to dance..” She protested, remaining guarded.

“We can use their music.” Ellie nodded toward the television where the next pair was taking the ice, the sly smirk on her face began to grow. 

“You know how to dance?” An eyebrow shot up. 

Ellie paused, realization washing over her face. Her body language dropped in embarrassment, her words became sheepish. “Well.. no..” The words trailed off. Her confidence was faltering. 

Dina gave her hand a light squeeze. “Here, I’ll show you.” Vibrant green eyes looked up to meet hers, a silent thank you within them. Dina grabbed Ellie’s right hand and placed it on her own hip. “This hand goes here..” Slender fingers were stiff and apprehensive, only softening when Dina placed her left hand on the front of Ellie’s shoulder. “And my hand goes here.” 

Their eyes stayed locked for what seemed like an eternity. The gentle yet firm hold of Ellie’s hand against her waist felt like pins and needles jabbing into her skin. Neither of them moved, too afraid to shatter the tension that grew so delicately between them. 

Ellie cleared her throat and pulled her eyes away. “So, standing is cool and all, but don’t we have to, you know, dance?” 

Dina blushed hotly, the embarrassment spreading rapidly, screaming to be noticed. “Well..” her mouth was dry as she tried to speak. “Ice dancing is different from ballroom dancing.. We’d have to be on the ice to actually do it..” she trailed off. 

Ellie’s face mirrored the blush. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t know that..” 

“Don’t be..” She removed the hand from Eillie’s shoulder and placed a finger below her chin, lifting it so she could stare into emerald green eyes once again. “Positioning is important too. You’ll be that much further ahead when I get you on the ice.” 

“Yeah?” Ellie searched for encouragement. 

“Yeah.” She meant it, and the mere thought of teaching Ellie how to ice dance made her stomach erupt into butterflies. As the conversation settled, the butterflies turned into a low growl. She dropped her hands from Ellie and spoke. “Ugh. I’m hungry.” 

“Hi hungry I’m-“ 

“Ellie Williams do not finish that sentence.” The words came out with little bite, instead accompanied by soft giggles. “You okay with pizza?” Ellie nodded, and Dina reached for her phone to order delivery. 

——

The girls happily ate their dinner while the skaters in the women’s freeskate made their way through their programs.

“Can you do that?” Ellie asked again, and again, and again.

Dina rolled her eyes and tossed a balled up napkin in Ellie’s direction. “For the millionth time, if I could do that I would not be sitting here.”

“I’d like to see you skate sometime.” Ellie casually mentioned, turning slightly to put the napkin into the empty pizza box. 

The suggestion caught Dina by surprise. “Why?” She choked out, sounding more defensive than intended. 

Ellie wasn’t phased, instead she shrugged into the justification casually. “You’ve seen me skate, so I only think it’s fair that I get to see you skate.” Dina opened her mouth to protest, but Ellie continued. “And don’t say I’ve already seen you skate.. I’ve seen you pick up little kids and yell at people to put their arms up. I want to see you  _ skate.” _

Dina was dumbfounded. Any retort or clever way to redirect the conversation had disappeared, so she stared silently. Ellie turned from the tv to look in her direction. Tired eyes and a faint smile were bathed in blue light, a loose strand of hair hung in her face. Once again Dina found herself in another moment she never wanted to leave. “Okay.” The word came out unexpectedly, and Dina flushed instantly. 

Ellie smiled warmly, her response was low, genuine. “Can’t wait.” 

_ I know.  _

——

It was early Sunday afternoon when her family arrived at home. The slamming of the front door and shuffling of shoes echoed throughout the home. As her family was settling in after the long car ride, Dina slumped in her desk chair. Nimble fingers flicked a Rubik’s cube, while her mind wandered across the events from the night before. 

_ We hate hockey players, and they hate us. Everyone thinks they’re superior. That’s how it is. So why the sudden interest? Why me? What does she want? _

The cube snapped harder and her jaw clenched. 

_ Maybe I should just ask.. _

She released the tension from her face with a sigh and dropped the cube into her lap. Her own logic made her reel in embarrassment. “Fuck.”

A soft knock on the door pulled her from the internal crisis she was wrestling with. She hummed an acknowledgement, and the door slowly opened, revealing her older sister.

“Hey Di,” Talia stepped through the doorway, her face and voice both tired from traveling, “How was your weekend?”

Dina didn’t look up, instead opting to pick up the cube and flip its sides once more. She shrugged and grunted in response.

Talia sat gingerly on the bed. “That bad huh?” She chuckled. “You better not let ima see you slouching like that. You remember what happened last time.”

She smiled halfheartedly at the memory. Her mother sat her down in front of the television and they watched replays from prior olympics, commenting on the importance of proper posture. 

“Did something happen?” Talia poked.

Dina set the cube on her desk and turned in the chair so that she was facing her sister, keeping her eyes on her lap. “I think I might like someone,” she huffed, “and she doesn’t feel the same way.” 

“Ahh. The hockey player?” 

Dina’s eyes whipped up to look at her sister. She relaxed when she was met by an understanding gaze. “Yeah.” She mumbled.

“She told you she doesn’t feel the same way?” Talia asked cautiously.

“Well..” Dina trailed off, looking at the floor.

“Dina.. Did she tell you that she doesn’t feel the same way or do you just think she doesn’t?” She scolded.

Dina let out a defeated sigh. “Does it really matter?”

“Yes it absolutely matters! Does she even know you like her?” Talia insisted.

“I barely know her..”

“So?”

“Talia can you just-”

“Do you have a picture?” Her tone softened.

“What?” 

“A picture. Do you have one.” Talia extended an open hand.

Dina wasn’t in the mood to fight, so she fished out her phone and pulled up the picture, apprehensively handing it over to her sister. Talia took the phone and examined it closely, a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. “I think you should ask her.” She handed the phone back and stood up, turning to leave. “Give her the benefit of the doubt.” 

Talia left the room, and Dina was left to ruminate on her words.

_ I should tell her. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> True stories! My sister really did text a national level coach and got a spot in an exclusive camp after it was full, and I really did skate with those people. I know a bunch of olympians and national champions from different countries. The higher up you get, the smaller the skating world gets. It is a cool party trick, but it is absolutely a kick to the self esteem.


End file.
